[jcommin]

Porsche: I agree with most of your post. This economy will never grow if housing doesn't stabilize. The job growth in this country will grow slow too. Most of the manufacturing jobs lost over the last several years aren't coming back. Since 70% of the economy is driven by consumption and the amount of excess discretionary income is reduced, (decline in wealth: home values, job loss, frozen salaries, budget cuts) I see no chance of the type of recovery we have had in the past.

Outside of the government creating more public sector jobs, (I see less), there is little it can do do stimulate growth. Tax cuts, or job growth incentives, will do little if no one has the income to buy.

Reducing entitlements would significantly help but no one from either party is going to do that. If/when it happens, it going to hit all of us. It will further reduce our discretionary spending because we will need to save for retirement and health care allot more than anyone is doing now.

I have worked in manufacturing for over 35 years and I am saddened to see the manufacturing might of this country gone. Personally, I would like to see initiatives in alternative energy, wind, solar, etc and develop industry and business in this arena. I don't want to buy this type of processes or equipment abroad. My fear is that we will let this opportunity go because we couldn't/wouldn't try to be competitive.