Jon writes:
I'm ready for flames. I understand the downsides of protectionism
and all that. All I'm saying (as I did for a different topic way
back when rw was touting a Linux stock) is we're in a Ponzi scheme.
We live at a standard that is unsustainable, as it is achieved through
unsustainable "optimizations"

What flames? It seems you have presented a perfectly logical explanation of the
current American economy. When I think of the level of personal debt
accumulating, I shudder at the crash. It will come, and sooner than most
imagine....
Oh, and it WILL be ugly.
Tom