10/26/11 Baltimore, Maryland – Since we’re in the mood, let’s begin today with a question: Do you think your kids or grandkids will be worse off than you?
We’ll give you a moment to think about it.
[One moment]
Fifty-seven percent of Americans responding to a similar question posed by The Hill predict today’s young people won’t live better lives than their parents.
In addition, 69% believe the nation is “in decline,” and 49% are “very worried” about the nation’s future. Another 34% say they’re only “somewhat worried.”
What’s most striking about these numbers is how banal they’ve become. No fewer than eight polls conducted this month have asked people whether the nation is on the “right track” or the “wrong track.”
The numbers are startling in their consistency, between 73-81%.
A small item to illustrate the larger picture: Last week, a government commission wrapped up three years of work looking into the proverbial “waste, fraud and abuse” among government contractors in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
It concluded the government “misspent” between $31-60 billion.
Where did it go?
You’re not allowed to know for 20 more years. The records won’t be available for public review at the National Archives until 2031, because they contain “sensitive information.”
“The ‘ruling junta’ governing the US,” comments our friend Ralph Benko from the Lehrman Institute, “seems to have forgotten an axiom critical to its legitimacy: ‘the consent of the governed.’
“Americans of all parties and ideologies bitterly cling to a fundamental American principle, stated in the Declaration of Independence, that we ‘are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,’…and ‘That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.’”
“A supermajority says that their intention,” says Benko, summing up the polling data, “their well-being and their very dignity are being violated.”
Addison Wiggin
for The Daily Reckoning
Addison Wiggin
Addison Wiggin is the executive publisher of Agora Financial, LLC, a fiercely independent economic forecasting and financial research firm. He’s the creator and editorial director of Agora Financial’s daily 5 Min. Forecast and editorial director of The Daily Reckoning. Wiggin is the founder of Agora Entertainment, executive producer and co-writer of I.O.U.S.A., which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, the 2009 Critics Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature, and was also shortlisted for a 2009 Academy Award. He is the author of the companion book of the film I.O.U.S.A.and his second edition of The Demise of the Dollar… and Why it’s Even Better for Your Investments was just fully revised and updated. Wiggin is a three-time New York Times best-selling author whose work has been recognized by The New York Times Magazine, The Economist, Worth, The New York Times, The Washington Post as well as major network news programs. He also co-authored international bestsellers Financial Reckoning Day and Empire of Debt with Bill Bonner.
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Wow, giving these number, I would say American in general are very OPTIMISTIC!
*These numberS; AmericanS
Anita, as good-looking as you are, you don’t need to worry about grammer and spelling. Keep posting.
And we will do what? We have no rights, only privileges granted by the high command.
Constitution is dead, died a few administrations ago.
Elect “good people” to congress? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Only real options now are kneel to your superiors and beg for your life or run like hell for the border and hope they don’t shoot you on the way out!
Politicians = Bankers = Relying on consumers debt load and spending = Excessive consumption
Who is at the driving seat to drive in a message? Consumers who are getting a whooping. Without them and spending, there is a big problem for the ones up in the equation.
Teach your kids to save so they’ll have the power to dictate the rules and not be chained down to their rules. If you own a home, don’t refinance to pay for a vacation or a car. Think of saving the home for them, because it ain’t going to be easy for them much in the future.
Robert – you do. It’s GRAMMAR.
Anita has made this place look better. Tired of looking at all these faces only a mother could love. Who knows what the future brings. They may have less money, but may have a better quality life once our FedGov has to roll back its mission.