Better off than 4 years ago?

[Pauls' Revere]

For the fourth straight year the USA slipped in the global competitive rankings.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-sli...082328481.html

The United States has slipped further down a global ranking of the world's most competitive economies, according to a World Economic Forum (WEF) survey released on Wednesday.


The world's largest economy, which was placed 5th last year, fell two positions to the 7th spot - marking its fourth year of decline.

A lack of macroeconomic stability, the business community's continued mistrust of the government and concerns over its fiscal health were some of the reasons for the downgrade, according to the annual survey.

"A number of weaknesses are chipping away at its competitiveness...the U.S. fiscal imbalances and continued political deadlock over resolving these challenges," said Jennifer Blanke, Economist at the Geneva-based WEF.

Political deadlock over reducing the unsustainable federal government budget deficit - projected to hit $1.1 trillion this year - prompted Standard & Poor's to downgrade the country's credit rating by one notch to AA+ from AAA last August.


A mix of U.S. tax hikes and spending cuts - referred to as the "fiscal cliff" - are set to come into force in January unless lawmakers reach a compromise for avoiding them.


who will be president to manage the fiscal cliff? wish it was paul.

[andrianochel]

You have to a complete moron to think we're better off now than four years ago. Yet, after the speeches at DNC millions of people are now convinced that in fact we are better off now than we were four years ago.

Ignore the facts, forget the track record, a good speech is what matters. We must be the most gullible nation on this planet.

[georgiaboy]

welcome to the forums, andrianochel.

yeah, rhetorical question is rhetorical.

[Zippyjuan]

Switzerland tops the list. China fell two slots this year too. Mexico has moved up thirteen places in two years (now 53rd).

Top Ten:
1) Switzerland
2) Singapore
3) Finland
4) Sweden (traded places with Finland this year)
5) the Netherlands
6) Germany
7) United States
8) United Kingdom (up two slots)
9) Hong Kong
10) Japan

About the USA they said:

The United States continues the decline that began a few years ago, falling two more positions to take 7th place this year. Although many structural features continue to make its economy extremely productive, a number of escalating and unaddressed weaknesses have lowered the US ranking in recent years. US companies are highly sophisticated and innovative, supported by an excellent university system that collaborates admirably with the business sector in R&D. Combined with flexible labor markets and the scale opportunities afforded by the sheer size of its domestic economy—the largest in the world by far—these qualities continue to make the United States very competitive.

On the other hand, some weaknesses in particular areas have deepened since past assessments. The business community continues to be critical toward public and private institutions (41st). In particular, its trust in politicians is not strong (54th), perhaps not surprising in light of recent political disputes that threaten to push the country back into recession through automatic spending cuts. Business leaders also remain concerned about the government’s ability to maintain arms-length relationships with the private sector (59th), and consider that the government spends its resources relatively wastefully (76th). A lack of macroeconomic stability continues to be the country’s greatest area of weakness (111th, down from 90th last year). On a more positive note, measures of financial market development continue to indicate a recovery, improving from 31st two years ago to 16th this year in that pillar, thanks to the rapid intervention that forced the deleveraging of the banking system from its toxic assets following the financial crisis.

Link: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/CSI/201...ts_2012-13.pdf

[MelissaWV]

I always hated that question. Am I better off than I was four years ago? Hell yes. That's not what I'm going to base my vote on. I'm not even going to base it on the fact that a lot of other people in the US are not better off.

I am going to base my vote, as always, on who will make our country better if given the opportunity to occupy the position I'm voting for them to win.

[oyarde]

Do people when they consider that , think of how much higher prices are in only four years ??

[Zippyjuan]

Prices are usually higher than they were four years ago- so probably not. Unless they are dramatically up.

[The Freethinker]

I"m better off than four years ago but it's got nothing to do with QE, QE2, or anything Bush or Obama have done.

Sep 2008: not one gram of gold or silver
Sep 2012: I now have gold AND silver

Sep 2008: I had a mortgage and some credit card debt and had a car loan
Sep 2012: I still have a mortgage. Credit card debt is paid off in full every month. Car paid off.

Sep 2008: I had never heard of prepping.
Sep 2012: I have emergency supplies including food, first aid materials, tools, and firearms.

Sep 2008: I had no idea what real money was, and never knew about what a scam the Federal Reseve is.
Sep 2012: I now know what fiat money is as compared to REAL money; I know now that the Federal Reserve is a total scam; I know now that statists want to plunder hardworking citizens.

Sep 2008: my retirement savings had taken a beating.
Sep 2012: my retirement savings have bounced back - I'm up 20% for the year.

I am aware that not all these circumstances are directly related to actual net worth - knowledge about prepping, survival skills, or being aware that the Fed is a scam (and that Ron Paul is a hero) isn't going to increase my bank balance or add to my reserve of gold & silver. But I know much more than I knew then in ADDITION to the improvements in my fiscal situation.

I thank Ron Paul, Peter Schiff, Gary North (whose Christian worldview and Biblical exposition of wealth, capital, work, money, from the Bible's Book of Proverbs), and the Austrian School for being better off... not Obama.

[oyarde]

Prices are usually higher than they were four years ago- so probably not. Unless they are dramatically up.

They are , milk, gas , probably , without looking, 100 percent .....

[frodus24]

I am better off than I was 4 years ago. It's not because of a president or a run-a-muck Congress! I have a mind and utilized it! My mind came to the conclusion: "Hey, get your butt out of debt! Read books! Understand LIBERTY!" And that is exactly what I did. Debt Free! I have money to invest in silver. I have an emergency fund. I sleep at night. That is not because of any president or government BS. I did this! NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME!