The United States, The World - In Deep Trouble, Things are Getting Worse -

Smoky Lake Signal Article No. 183
(August 10, 2011)

The European / United States debt / financial crisis is mounting world wide with the resulting negative impacts yet to be felt - in my view; the financial crisis will not soon pass, so get prepared.  What is particularly depressing is the financial crisis cannot / will not be resolved with a simple market correction in the stock market - remember, what has evolved:  the world is now a laissez faire, globalized system of economic management with most national government leaders unwilling or unable to influence an out of control speculative system.  In the meantime, national leaders are trying to contain panic selling in the stock market with positive political speak and hoping that the sell-off is only a market correction.  For Canada, Prime Minister Harper is in Brazil trying to diversify our trade relations with countries not plagued by international debt and diversify Canada's interests - I have read that he views the United States' debt problem is quite different from Canada's and Canada's debt is manageable and is being appropriately managed.  In the US, President Barack Obama addressed Americans and the world on Monday last and quite rightly took a major swipe at his political adversaries - the Republican Party - indicating that Republicans and their Tea Party supporters were not willing to realistically address the nation's debt crisis and this unwillingness to compromise for the betterment of the nation, caused the downgrade of the Standard & Poor's credit rating from AAA to AA+.  The debt situation in the Euro-zone is equally dramatic, troubling and intense as that being experienced in the United States - so the question becomes:  what must be done to create confidence and consumer demand in Europe and North America?  In my view, globalization has failed the nation state and that means - jobs, another stimulus program for small businesses and a rethinking of globalization - and that means NATION BUILDING and the harnessing of dominant, multi-national corporations (including national banks) through appropriate regulation and taxation.  As a footnote: a number of "experts" have commented on TV and elsewhere that the financial crisis in the world is a result of political incompetence rather than any fundamental economic issues or problems - I agree that we do have some incompetent political leaders but let's help them build a better community, a better nation and look at where the real problem is; the corporate dominance of political policy making.

Happy  4th Birthday, To Me?
I have been writing "Whispering in the Wind" for four years now and quite frankly, I've enjoyed every minute of the exercise.  As to feedback, I wish there was more reaction to my views, particularly when I'm wrong in my point of view.  Over the past four years I've received both accolades and criticisms over what I've written - sometimes relating to the same article.  Seldom does a week goes by when I am not given a dig about something that I've written - and for those that e-mail me with articles or a comment, put magazines under the windshield wipers of my truck, thank-you and keep your comments coming.