Thanks for the response – very nice additional data that continues to paint a pretty dire picture – here’s hoping we get some forward motion here with the next president, whichever party wins the day (btw, too bad Bloomberg decided not to run – he’s the type of leader willing to take on challenges like this – I am a real fan of his, going back to Wall Street Days).

Thank you for your write-up. I was doing a similar review over the weekend (for political action group I am forming) and came across a few interesting points in addition to your data.

1) Personal Savings is at its lowest level since 70’s and peaked in the early 90’s.

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/PMSAVE

2) Our trade deficit is at its highest levels ever.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/26/USTrade1991-2005.png/600px-USTrade1991-2005.png

3) National Debt as % of GDP is at level not seen since the late 40’s and early 50’s. Back then tax increases paid for the Wars. Not today.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/00/25/92/image_5192250.gif

4) Household Debt is at an all-time high along with debt as % of income.

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/data/CMDEBT_Max_630_378.png
http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/data/FODSP_Max_630_378.png

5) And finally, the National Debt. You guessed it, is at an all time high.

http://web.whittier.edu/academic/math/jmiller/United%20States%20National%20Debt_files/usdebt1.gif

We are allowing both political parties to destroy this country. For the record, I have voted Democratic and Republican in the past 8 years. It really doesn’t matter. They are all the same. Putting the country on a credit card.

Have a happy weekend to all!

Juan Carlos Perez