Please share your sense of what the next two years holds for us economically.

Whatever ups & downs we experience in the next months & years, they are just bobbles on the path to something entirely new, and we probably can't get there without experiencing a major--MAJOR--economic collapse. We can't sustain ourselves on a fossil-fuel, polluting, jobless economy driven by short-term greed. A little recovery right now could actually be a BAD thing because it would distract us from the need to build a green infrastructure for a sustainable lifestyle.

Going to get better, then really better, then worse.

First the recession will be over naturally, like it always has been.

Then the stimulus will kick in and things will boom just in time for President Obama to get re-elected.

Then that will cause another bubble which will eventually burst.

Then the Congress (with a VERY large majority) will do the responsible thing and fix that in time to have a Democrat elected in 2012.

At least I hope so.

Between the yellow and the fuchsia lines, you need a choice that says "We HAVE hit bottom, and we are going to make a slow recovery." I didn't want to vote for "haven't hit bottom" so I ended up voting the one worded "roses" going forward, which I also don't believe. - Roses? no. Stinky sturdy marigolds, maybe.

evidence of recovery - slowly - early next year, possibly even sooner, with employment increasing next year.

We must be aware of GOP attempts to sabotage every democratic effort to help the economy and speed the recovery - every positive for Obama and the Dems is another nail in the GOP's coffin, and the Republicans ALWAYS put politics ahead of the good of the country.


mark

a plateau where we are now with no real (non-stimulated) growth for the next two years followed by another downward movement to a new lower plateau. I don't understand why anyone thinks that perpetual growth is a realistic option. Cheap energy is over and so is continuous growth. Unfortunately our economic system is based on the premise that perpetual growth is not only possible but desirable.

However, the lifeboats have already been filled and launched with politicians, economists, and bankers who assure the other passengers that the green shoots below decks will soon sprout and keep the ship afloat.

Recessions and high oil prices....

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/3664

So what happens going forward IF the world is looking at peak oil/energy...other more expensive and limited resources...more costly food/water...increasing world population along with increasing "middle class" expectations? Also there are the costs associated with global warming...refugees...wars. Overhanging debt?

Is the world economy going to have trouble re-entering the perpetual growth scenario?

Have cheap energy/materials/labor fueled debt dependent growth?

Will governments adjust to a new "world order"...or will they fight to the finish while perpetuating "growth" and extracting the remaining "wealth" to the detriment of the planet and most inhabitants?

My bet is a fight to the finish...until reality bites back in no uncertain terms.

Humans didn't get where they are by not being stupid?

would make a good sig line. Change the "?" to "!"

or are they just going to cancel each other out and we stay stagnant. If Obama did not have to fight the repugs as well as the blue dogs things might improve sooner than later. Oh and of course lets not forget all the politicians looking out only for themselves and enjoying the perks of lobbyists.

in my opinion it`s going to get worse.there are no firewalls placed to stop it from happening again.

But the jobs won't recover until 2011. Just another jobless recovery.

if those things happen, I'm optimistic --

save for Global Warming --