16 January 2008

"La menace de récession se précise aux Etats-Unis"...

This is the banner headline in today's edition of Le Monde, the French newspaper.

The literal translation of the headline is, "The threat of recession is specified in the United States."

I think what they are actually saying is recession is no longer a "question" but, in fact, a reality in the U.S.

The first paragraph puts their thinking succinctly:
Fall of the market indexes, record losses for banks, tensions on the foreign exchange market and interest rates, the rise of oil prices, all signs of recession in the United States: the economic situation and international financial picture is degrading quickly.

The banner headline in the Chicago Sun-Times today: Chicago's Olympic Price Tag; RING IT UP. [the price tag $2 Billion! How's that for dealing with a recession problem, especially when public transportation may stop after 1/31/08 if it doesn't get a bailout from the state government.]

Most every other U.S. paper led with headlines about George Romney's win in Michigan and that, "He's Backkkkkkk." A few focused on other aspects of the primary races.

Only one other paper, and it's not actually a U.S. paper, did I find a headline, not just a mention, of the financial problems of the U.S. and the world - The International Herald Tribune - "Signs Growing that 'Recession' May Apply to U.S."

So, we're reading about a "popularity contest" that rivals "Miss America" while the rest of the world handles issues that the contestants in our popularity contest should be addressing in detail.

Maybe it's time that the "contestants" of all our popularity contests, from Representative, to Senator, to Judiciary, to President deal with a law that limits the amount of time the popularity contest can go on. Other countries have done it, often limiting it all to a period of 3-6 months before the election.

A lot of the candidates are in office right now - not doing their jobs. And others? They need to get a job...

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