Bush: 'Stronger' economy looms post-crisis

Great news..We will be stronger....I feel so much better now....I guess that I will now be re-employed, my fixed mortgage rate will stop going up..(escrow),,,my gas and electric won't rise 10% like it just did and my water bill won't really go up another 8% like promised by the water company....    I can sleep tonight....Bush is my friend....hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Bill, good examples.  Every time Bush speaks I try to think the exact opposite will happen and then just back off a wee bit. However, after watching him for about a minute I start to get sick and switch the channel(s).

I recall that Obama has voted FOR the same bills.

Is Obama keeping his "fix" a secret until his inauguration?  HOW selfish.

Just let the darn thing crash, and NO SOCIALISM.  Everyone should learn a lesson here : the stock market is a big CASINO.  Don't GAMBLE.

Are you serious?  The reason the stocks are falling is people are selling off their shares.  You're suggesting the media might prevent the selling off of shares by advising people to sell off their shares??  Or are you suggesting the media do the horrendously, irresponsible thing of purposefully instating the very panic that has developed on its own?

Either way, your idea is ludicrous.

More like the mutual funds are selling off their shares - 10k+ at a pop, as the retirees freak out. 

This  is  just a question  more  than  anything else. Does  anyone  know  that,  in  Europe, a news  has  been  circulated  daily  by  all  major  media  outlets,  that  "Japan  has  threatened  to  replace  the  U.S.  leadership  in  solving  the  crisis,  with  calling  for  another  world  economic  summit in Tokyo,  if  the  summit  in  Washington  yields  no  results"? I  hate  to  be  a  whistleblower,  but  the  American  people  must  know  what  is  happening! We maybe losing world economic leadership! That is  why  we  have  Newsvine ... if  all  the  media  are  for  some  reason  afraid  to bring  the truth  to  the  people ...  or worse,  have  been  told not to do so!

Wah.

I agree that the media is used by the rich to placate the others until the big money is out.  The other choice is if you have nothing good to say say nothing, but to suggest that the media should promote optimism in a time of negativism so that the rich can get out seems to me to be somewhat immoral.

Up until 1 week ago, Jim Cramer and Fast Money (MSNBC) were actually begging viewers to invest in the stock market. Thats is because their jobs depend on US buying stock. If no one invests then their shows would be off the air.

Fed up to Newsflashed,

No, I think that's the problem, the public has been too passive, too civil, in what fascist universe is saying to someone f**k you classified as an assault? No, it's time to do much more than just peacefully carry signs and calmly state our case...I've been a pacifist all my life but...this is war folks, you've been attacked, and your lives are about to be used as fodder for the upper 1% to be kept from taking the blame for bankruptcy of the United States...

NO! This nitwit of a President should be IMPEACHED IMMEDIATELY! AND HIS FATHER SHOULD BE TRIED BY THE WORLD COURT FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMIANITY...

How about a possitive look at what all of the banks,governments, etc. have tried to do (the legislative branch also needs to work on a possitive, cooperative image) and how about the honesty and accountability of the general population - holding a job, not taking on debt they can't handle and living cooperatively together and helping each other out instead of just @!$%#ing.

Yes. I agree. That is why I've proposed a real solution, rather than the discredited Trial and Error methodology currently being applied by the leaders at the US Treasury, Fed, and etc.
I agree with your comment regarding accountability of the people. However, we must also consider the facts now being reported that many unscrupulous mortgage brokers and bank lending officers were not honest in their representations of the ARMs Loan provisions to the many unknowing mortgage borrowers.

That action resulted in much higher mortgage payments than the borrowers could ever afford when their ARM mortgages were reset. That is a Key reason why for so many homeowners have lost their home in foreclosures -- that are at the heart of the financial crisis.

Bottom Line: The Global Financial Crisis is real. The current proposed solutions are illusory. The US leaders require a scientific method to develop a real solution ASAP.

Let's apply some aspects of your solution, particularly analysis of root causes:

I believe that we've created this problem by releasing all constraints on economic competition through deregulation and the gutting, that began with Ronald Reagan,  of anti-trust legislation. The result is a Nash equilibrium, where banks have to cheat or be acquired by those that do. We can't blame the bankers, who are only following a Darwinian process which promotes the most self-serving. It's the Republican misnomer of "free" markets that is to blame, i.e. markets that are free to be slaved to competitive forces. We can control these forces through a system of progressive taxation, taxation of industries that externalise their true costs upon the public (such as the oil industry), subsidies for development of industries that serve the public interest (such as sustainable energy) and, especially, dissolution of the giant trusts that exert disproportionate control our political system (such as international energy cartels). You will hear these interests claim that government meddling in the forces of competition is socialism. I say rubbish! The alternative to controlling competition is government take over of the finacial sector when unbridled competition leads to its failure, which really is socialism. 

Hello 11B2EB4:
I agree with some portions of your logic. The fact remains that the USA has never followed a true "free market" philosophy.

Take for example the several root causes of the current problem: 1) Condoned fraudulent accounting at the Banks, Brokers, and US Government, and 2) US Congressional protection and support for the two key proponents of the US home mortgage collapse: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 
In a true "free market" the captioned two GSEs would not have been permitted to exist.

Even when others spoke out against the potential large threat to our financial system posed by the GSEs, certain members of the US Congress strongly resisted all efforts to reform and/or reduce the size of Fannie and Freddie. This understandable action by some members of Congress is of course attributable to the corrupt influence of the notorios Lobbyists. This is only one of hundreds of examples of why the USA has never had a "free market"economy.

Bottom Line: We have no way of knowing  the results of a true "free market" system in the USA simply because the country has never tried it.

Without  globalization  this  whole  problem  may  have  never  arisen,  and  if  so,  it  would  have  been  contained  and  controlled.  Globalization  has  spread  the  problem  worldwide. China  seems  to  be the  real  beneficiary,  first  taking  away  our  tax base, then, after  this  crisis exploded,  reaping  colossal,  unreported  windfall  from  the  swiftly  rising  value  of  the  dollar  on  global  markets.  By  the  way,  the  sudden  raise  of  the  dollar  is  a  silver  lining  of  this  crisis! I see encouraging  signs  on  the  daily  basis,  in Europe.  The  euro  is  falling;  the  dollar  is  raising! I am not an economist, but I venture to predict that, with God's help, dollar will overcome the euro in a matter of weeks!

Grey Matter- "The Global Financial Crisis is real. The current proposed solutions are illusory. The US leaders require a scientific method to develop a real solution ASAP."

I think you have it backwards. The Global Financial Crisis is an illusion. The current and future "solutions" are real thefts of our money. US leaders as well as the rest of the G20 governments already have a solution planned. It is called global bank regulation.

11B2EB4- "We can control... ...through a system of progressive taxation, taxation of industries that externalise their true costs upon the public (such as the oil industry), subsidies for development of industries that serve the public interest (such as sustainable energy) and, especially, dissolution of the giant trusts that exert disproportionate control our political system (such as international energy cartels). You will hear these interests claim that government meddling in the forces of competition is socialism. I say rubbish! The alternative to controlling competition is government take over of the finacial sector when unbridled competition leads to its failure, which really is socialism."

Are they teaching nothing in school any more? Your plan being called socialism is not "rubbish". It is the very definition of socialism. I also strongly disagree that the only other option available to us is "...government take over of the finacial sector...". Which, despite your proclamation otherwise, is not socialism. It is, by definition, communism. If you want to live in a socialist country there are plenty of them out there to choose from. If you want to live in a communist dictatorship just stay here. One is on it's way.

dmac - we were having an intelligent debate here before you turned it into an attack on current education.

Socialism-“a theory or system of social organization in which the means of production and distribution of goods is owned collectively or by the government” (Random House Webster’s College Dictionary) . The US government will now own stock in major banks.

Please have a look at the dictionary before you spout off about definitions. Otherwise you just look like a company shill. But, I agree with you that we may be headed towards dictatorship.

We must take some level of control of our economy, rather than leave it to Darwinian processes. A scientific program, such as that suggested by Grey Matter, with experimental and control groups could inform where that level lies. Society can use its taxes and subsidies to encourage those privately owned businesses that serve society's interests, without government itself claiming ownership.

Desert Voice: Globalization has brought both advantage and disadvantages to world economy. I'm not certain if we can ever reverse globalization...like many of the other rapid changes that we all confront every day. Regarding China, I agree that they have been a major beneficiary of globalization. However, China along with other Asian and Middle Eastern countries are among the largest lenders to the US Government through purchase of US Treasure Bonds, Notes and Bills. Without that capital investment the US government would run a deficit -- or be flat  broke -- of approximately (USD) $ 750 Billion annually. The (USD) dollar has risen recently, but recall the (USD) has dropped dramatically compared to other global currencies for many years.

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dma225: I like your sense of humor by flipping my comment on its head. However, I hope that you are joshingto imply that the "The Global Financial Crisis is an illusion." In fact, global investors are estimated to have lost (USD) $8.5 Trillion...and we are only at the beginning. Worse is on the way if we do not find a real solution soon. One of the few people who predicted all of this mess several years ago (Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics, Stern School of Business) has recently stated that we are at risk of a protracted global depression. Hence my first post suggestion #6 for an immediate scientific solution to the current global financial crisis.  

Regarding China being a large lender.  This was done as a way to keep their currency cheap which in the short run was advantageous to them, but for the US sucked the life out of our manufactoring sector and left us with a debt to the Chinese.  The joke's on them if we allow the dollar to sink to the level at which it should be pegged.  This is why all the countries want to help us out.  The further weakening of the dollar could be of help to the domestic portion of the economy.  A "depression" could slow or stop the influx of illegal immigrants.  The failure of some of out biggest names could result in honest people replacing them.  Can't say much for the present results which is why I suggest voting out the incumbent.  As an aside,  interesting that the "Greatest Generation" spanned the American economy from 1940 to 2008.  They took care of themselves, but were their policies really good for the US long-term?

Socrates1: I agree with portions of your commentary. One of your observations is: "They took care of themselves, but were their policies really good for the US long-term?" 

The answer appears to be no. As mentioned in my original post# 6: "US GOVERNMENT FRAUD: The US Government regularly reports its current Debt at $9.5 Trillion, when in fact the number is now: $57 Trillion. (Details at: Grant's Interest Rate Observer - Refer to Free Article of July 25, 2008: Bearish On The Biggest Monoline)."

The above fact creates grave security risk to the US Government, all Americans, and additional risks to the global financial system.  

Regarding your observation on China: "but for the US sucked the life out of our manufacturing sector and left us with a debt to the Chinese."  The huge and growing debt to China is a documented fact. The fact that US manufacturing has migrated off shore is another matter of fact -- but the root cause of that result has not been fully explored.

It is possible that US Manufacturers were forced out of manufacturing in America due to all of the additional costs imposed on the US companies by laws passed by the US Government environmental activists in Congress. In short, the US manufacturers could not compete in a global economy, and foreign competitors were not required to follow any of the US fair labor and environmental laws. Ergo, US manufacturers had a choice of either going out of business; or compete by buying goods from foreign sources at a greatly reduced price than the goods could be manufactured in the US.

Two last questions for Grey Matter, before I return to my chores:
You propose that the Fed and Treasury apply science to the policy making process. I am totally with you on this, but am uncertain about the execution. Would you allow the Fed to experiment or would you base inference strictly on observation? In either case, what variables would you measure?

11B2EB4:  Your positive reply, with questions, is appreciated and follow  below with my response:

Q1: "Would you allow the Fed to experiment or would you base inference strictly on observation?

A1: The scientific method that I proposed is Six Sigma. It uses "observation" of facts and data as parts of a proved strategic and tactical scientific methodology. Six Sigma has been successfully adopted by major global business organizations, and recently by US government agencies like the CIA, and DOD, US Army, Navy and Air Force. Six Sigma is especially useful to resolve large-scale problems with no known cause and no known solution. The tactical portion of Six Sigma is DMAIC, that follows the below scientific method process steps:

- Define the problem.
- Measure the true extent of the problem.
- Analyze the Root Cause of the problem.
- Improve it by eliminating the Root Cause of the problem.
- Controlit from happening again in the future with Statistical Process Control (SPC) methods.

Each step of DMAIC applies specific Quality Techniques ("Tools") that enables the practitioner to complete that specific step. The Analyze step uses advanced statistical methods to validate the root cause.

Q2: "In either case, what variables would you measure?"

A2:   Six Sigma determines the Key "variables" (Xs) with a tool known as SIPOC. It first identifies all variables, and then use statistical methods (Regression Analysis, Hypothesis Testing, and Design of Experiments) to identify and statistically validate the Key variables for resolution -- those that most effect the outcome (Ys). 

Regards,

GM 

Post me a reference if you would, GM. When they unlock my chains, I'll give it a read.

Thanks,

'LevenBravo

11B2EB4: Six Sigma Saves $427 Billion! View Article (http://www.sixsigmalive.net/isix.pdf)

Regards,

GM

Your six sigma thinking wont do a thing for the problem.  Why, it would take three years just to get everybody through the belting process. Besides that, you could say that the Clinton administration thought that people not having a home was a problem. They were attempting to fix. So to that end they tried, failed.
The problem is that not everyone is capable of home ownership. Some can't save enough back to make their monthly payments. They see something they want, they buy now, pray later. If they can't get a 20% down payment saved up, they probably can't save and plan ahead for insurance, taxes, and the monthly payment.  CREDIT SHOULD BE DENIED.

martvol:

My suggestion in the original post # 6 regards consideration of a better solution for the current global financial crisis.

The US leaders at the Treasury, Fed, and other involved government agencies are clearly attempting to apply the discredited Trial and Error  method, rather than application of a scientific solution methodology, like Six Sigma.  

History indicates that a scientific method has always produced better results and greater solutions.

martvol,

For example I paid 68,000 on a 214,000 home. I think that is a bit higher than 20%, yet the interest rate shot my home payment up to 2117 a month.So much for your opinion!!!

I want to see that CEO from country wide burning on a post.

Michael-302807: You are right.

Your experience is shared by millions of other homeowners and is one of the root causes of the huge increase in foreclosures; that is the root cause of the financial crisis, that has been globalized by the unregulated derivitives  markets that are off-balance sheet items that measure in the (USD) $ hundreds of billions - i.e., dangerous liabilities that are not recorded in the public financial information records of the banks, brokers. insurance other public companies. These hidden liabilities were mostly unknown by the investing public and many US regulators until the current crisis brought the subject of derivatives to light.

There is some hope that the recently passed (USD) $Trillion Rescue Plan adopted as law by the Congress may recognize and attempt to give some immediate remedy to this tragic home mortgage loan situation.

If the government does not act, the foreclosure rates will continue to dramatically increase into the year 2011, and may sow the seeds of a global depression.

I  never  bought  a  stock  in  my  life  since  I  do  not  believe  in  pipe  dreams.  Stocks  and  greed  go  together.  The  society  makes  you  think  that  there  is  an  easy  way  to  get  rich.  But  the  real  richness  is  in  being  a  wholesome  human  being. Morality is  seldom  forte  of  stock  sellers.  They  are  the  CEO's, the sellers  of  pipe  dreams! But  I  have  news  for  them.  I do  believe  in  stock  of a  different  kind,  stocks  in  which  the  CEO's  who  caused  this  market  collapse  should  be  put  in,  for  public  scorn!

Michael,

What is your interest rate. If you put $68,000 dollars down on $214,000 dollar home, that should make the note $146,000.  On a 30 year 10% loan your payment should be $1290. 15 years at 10% make the payment $1570. Now on $214,000 at 10% for 15 years the payment is $2300. 30 years at 10% on $214,000 is $1880. Or was that $68,000 payment you made to this note before ARM kicked in?

I stand by not backing your Six Sigma. You still have to identify what the problem is. If you implement Six Sigma 20 years ago with the problem being some people not being able to afford houses, we end up in the same place.

desert voice: I appreciate and understand your point.

As you know there are ongoing scheduled Congressional Hearings, and SEC Investigations to achieve your stated goals. Too early to tell if justice will be served. You may recall that it took six years for the wheels of justice to take effect in the Worldcom  and Enron  scandals. 

_________________________________________________________________

martvol:  Your reply is appreciated and it appears that we have difference of opinion regarding the application of a scientific method  for creating and implementing solutions, versus the discredited Trial and Error  method. The later is currently being used by the US Government officials at the Treasury, Fed, and other agencies. Let's see the final solution outcome, and perhaps then we will have the more data to draw a valid conclusion.

For the record: A scientific method, like Six Sigma, would never never have concluded as you comment indicates that:"If you implement Six Sigma 20 years ago with the problem being some people not being able to afford houses, we end up in the same place." Why?

Six Sigma is an applied scientific methods that uses the DMAIC process based on facts, data, and statistics to draw conclusions. The above conclusion that you recited was not based on science, rather it was based on Lobbyist influence peddling.

According to the facts and data recited in the current press reports, the sub-prime mortgage loans developed and became too large to manage based upon the influence of Lobbyists on Government officials at the Executive Branch and Congress. As you know, the press specifies reports of heavy lobbyist activities by the two GSEs: Freddie and Fannie. 

Perhaps we can simply ageree to disagree on this point.

Regards,

GM

Catherine,

Ok ok, I'll do it...I'm unzipping my pants now...

Hey, I thought it was hysterical, I may not stop laughing for the rest of the night

You got that right! Neither does the media.

That's for sure..

Amen, Art...

I spent 12  years working in DC, private sector and the hill... I know the respectful ways to behave, do business... Honestly, if Bush stood in front of me right now, it would take every manner my mom taught me not to just slap him and tell him to go far, far away from all of us.(I'd be smiling as the Secret Service cuffed me). 

We all, no matter the job, lifestyle, sexual orientation, political position, made this country... This blazing egotistical moron took it away from us and generations to come.... Lets elect Sen. Obama, let him get back to work and so will we, without being afraid every day

On a lighter note. The price of gas has gone down $0.75 in a month. That is all I heard all summer. To lower the gas prices. Well, they are down, and you still complain.

Gas prices are down until the election is over.

The gas prices are down because the GD stock market has made them go down by playing games, and it will go up again very soon. Its a G. Damned game.

If I'm remembering correctly, the last time oil was selling in the eighty dollar range, we were paying between $1.50 and $1.75 at the pump.  Even with gas prices dropping, we are still paying around two dollars more  per gallon than we did at the eighty buck barrel price.  What's up with that?

Blaming  President  Bush  for  the  greed  of  all  is unbecoming  to  Americans!  A  President  has  little  to  do  with  the day  to  day   workings  of the world     economy! The  CEO's  are  the  ones and  the  Department  of  Commerce  that  ought  to  be blamed. There  are  also  gurus  of  globalism who  share  in  the  responsibility.  Someone,  Bill Gates,  Warren Buffett,  George  Soros,  should  have  warned  the Fed's that  an  action  needed  to  be  taken.  I  doubt  they  really  cared. After all,  their  economy  was  thriving! Before  blaming  Bush,  I  would  focus  on  Senators  and  Representatives  that  we  elect  to  protect us, the people!

McCain, Bush, and several other Republicans warned in 2003 and 2005/2006 of problems in the housing industry. It is real hard to blame Bush for this.

McCain, Bush, and several other Republicans warned in 2003 and 2005/2006 of problems in the housing industry.

And as the party in power they did NOTHING about it??  This is leadership?

True. They did not have the support of the rest of the party. Still can not lay the blame at Bush/McCain's feet.

Art,

He's been an abject failure at EVERTHING he has ever attempted...hmm, reminds me of another disasterous leader of the mid twentieth century...someone Prescott Bush is said to have admired....

Most of our Congressional members haven't said much since the passage of the bailout plan which seems to have added to the sinking of the market. It's being said  stock traders were calling the bill a joke and a rip off to taxpayers as a parachute for select institutions and their execs.

We so need term limits for Congress.

Good luck getting term limits for our Congressional pigs, they themselves would have to pass it into law.

Term limits--VOTI--Vote Out The Incumbent.  It's on you.

Sweaver209.

Yeah right, it's all the dems fault you mention...

You conviently ignore the policies W implemented that were the same ones his father implemented in the late 80's & early 90's...the pro deregulation mantra of the Republicans, the lets use the China credit card that his father touted while vice pres & pres. that exploded if not created the deficit we have YET AGAIN at the end of YET ANOTHER BUSH REIGN OF FISCAL TERROR... No, the Republicans had nothing to do with the globalizatiion mess that got us here...Get a grip, this has been coming since the mid 80's, long before Nancy Pelosi was in Washington....or Franklin Raines or Fannie May...

So wht is it that "WE THE PEOPLE" who have the same rights as they did are doing nothing but watch them do it????

some of you people are beginning to sound like the mob at McCain's rally the other day....the only difference being you're calling for the death of our president.  Never a good idea no matter how mad you are.  I, too, will be glad when his term finally comes to an end but I'm not naive enough (or blindly loyal to the democratic party) to the lay all the blame at his feet.  

To me, the "perfect storm" has been brewing for a while now.  There are many players in this tragedy - W may be the star - but the supporting cast includes many democratics.    Stick around to read all the credits. 

I  agree  with  Just a Thought:  this  crisis  took  many  years  to  develop, spanning  across  several  Administrations.  It  appears  that  the  CEO's  were  too  busy  enjoing  themselves,  ignoring  that  their  subordinates  were  discreetly  undermining  or  softening  the  regulations!  The  first  lesson, if  the  market  survives,  is  to  revisit and  to cast  in  cement  every  regulation  and  safeguard  that  should  govern  the  stock  markets  and  mortgage  swaps!  I  even  think   that  swaps  are  too  risky  and  should  be  done  away  with  altogether. As  for  the  CEO's, to say  the  least,  they  should  be  investigated! They  sure  lived  in  Alice-in-Wonderland!

If the person writing the note has to be responsible for getting the money back from the home owner, there would have been a lot less foreclosers.  They would have seen that they wouldn't get repaid and not wrote the note. Instead the wrote the note, sold it to someone else, and was done with it.  They got theirs.

Sky,

The kernal of a great idea!

But, alas, unfortunately this isn't the land of the French Revolution...and the American public doesn't have the guts, or even the knowledge to implement one...and the Republicans would never get on board without including innocent democrats who didn't tout the dergulation or befriend the Enrons and the Carli Fiorinas of the world the way the republicans did....No. the Republicans are innocent! innocent! I tell you!...lolololol$$$$$$$$lolololol

...a lot, Lee Rat!

That $700B figure is up to at least $850B after we added earmark sweeteners (wool research,  kids wooden arrows, etc.) and if anyone thinks that the rest of the world isn't going to hold our "leaders" accountable for this, they are asleep and dreaming.

This thing is going to put us into perma-debt for a long, long time.

The governments of the world are saying "you created the problem, now you fix it". Believe me the United States government is being held hostage. It is very tough to blame them. The greed of corporate America has destroyed this country and what it stands for.

I have not read the 500 page bill myself, yet I watched a clip that said two things about the $700billion. 

1). The president has $100 billion to spend as he sees fit without oversight.

2.) $400 billion to other countries

Please check it out for yourself.

I  am  still  waiting  to  hear  if anyone  knows  about  the  Japanese  threat  to  convoke  another  G-7 summit  in  Tokyo  if  President  Bush  fails? This  is  an  important  news ... yet  no  one  speaks  about it!

Gil Standen.....What about me and people like me who are making Mortgage payments on a home I can afford. I feel really hard done by. Do my family and I get any consideration for being prudent and not spending beyond our means?

To Hell with the people who are being foreclosed. They deserve absolutely nothing. Perhaps their plight will be a lesson in economics.

I intend to vote for Obama though I was and am completely opposed to ANY Bailout to Any Bank or Financial Institution to include the “average homeowner who is being foreclosed on”

Did you really think they would help us??? Those of us who are getting by won't for long, Between taxes and increased cost of everything, food, gas, water, elect. and so on are already starting, 401's are going down fast people are dipping into savings to survive and soon alot won't have a job and your home will go into foreclosure, like all those who have been dubbed or the millions waiting to be escorted out right now. Nothing was done for the people only for the companies that got greedy and funniest of all is the money all goes to other countries to pay them for there investments of owning us !!  Sure it will get better someday but at what cost to the rest of us, Can't spend what we don't have and can't get loans if you have nothing to back it, thats another joke, only ones going to get loans are business (Big) !!

Gil,

One day you will be in the same boat. Don't send us all to hell without coming with us!

You are obviously ignorant to the real facts going on here. It will affect you very soon and you will lose everything. I made a HUGE down payment, kept my payments up, until the interest rates changed dramatically when the loan was sold.

Get your facts straight before you say to hell with anyone!

No, we simply need to put pressure on our judicial system to arrest the president...I know he wants to spend his elderly years on his ranch in Crawford, Texas; bless his heart.

The men in white coats are a little busy these days.  Please do the rest of us a favor, do your civic duty and check yourself into the nearest mental institution.  Do not pass go, do not collect your government handout....just get your crazy ass to the institution. 

julia, I too have heard this theory for years. With everything going on at the moment, it really makes you wonder if it's true.

It is  hard  to  accept  this  conspiracy  theory. I see globalism  as  the indirect cause  of  these  troubles,  after  greed. I  find  the  theory  stupid  for  the  following  reason:  people  in  America,  and  throughout  the  world,  need  not  to  be  prodded  with  a  global  market  crush  to  accept  globalism ... if  they  see  that  globalism  works!  To  see this,  is  far  too  early.  The  first  years'  results  are  mixed. But  it  would  be  foolish  for  anyone  to  provoke  a  global  market  crush  deliberately,  at  this  stage. On  the  other  hand, of course,  fools  abound!