"Other countries keep overspending too. A good example is unfunded pension liabilities. They know things like this are coming but have no idea how to raise the money to pay for it. The current generation of politicians will exit, and let the next generation try to clean up the mess. Trouble will start when 2010 hits and the first of the baby boom generation becomes entitled to a pension.

"Then you have things like 'General Revenue' funds fed with taxes from multiple sources that pay for all sorts of weird and wacky programs. Here's a good example: Of all the gasoline taxes collected in Canada, only 5% is spent on maintaining existing or building new and needed infrastructure. If we used 100% of these revenues on roads, there would not be a single pothole in Edmonton and all the roadways and side streets would be perfect.

"The thing about General Revenue funds is that because of the multiple inflow and outflow streams, auditors find it almost impossible to track where all the money ends up going. Kind of sounds like money laundering if you ask me.

"Trying to print more money would only serve to de-value the currency further. Future governments are going to keep proving the point that their main raison d'etre is to take money out of circulation through waste, inefficiency, and duplicity."

Ken Heywood [kheywood@pcsmi.com] takes exception to Jonathan Schacher's assertion (eFeedback July 12, 07) that 'corporate greed' is the root of our outsourced manufacturing problems:

"Corporate boards and executives are just satisfying the need to make a profit for their stock holders. Can you blame them for doing their jobs and collecting bonuses? Then whom do you blame? Look in the mirror for the answer.

"I blame the American consumer. You, me, everyone who consumes goods. We go for the cheap price. We settle for products that are cheaper, than those that are made in America. We buy vast amounts of Chinese products from Wal-Mart. Some of this stuff is pretty good quality. Other things, like tainted toothpaste and dog food, could kill us.

"We pay a premium in America for a higher standard of living. That premium pays for agencies like the FDA, OSHA and others, that help keep us healthy and safe with inspections and law enforcement. These 'cheap' manufacturing areas have less or none of the product and workplace standards that we enjoy. We talk about lower production costs in these places. Well, lower production costs involve more than just wages.

"Do we settle for the lowest price? As consumers, we have a choice. My wife picked up a bottle of apple juice at the supermarket. It looked good and had a pretty label. When she glanced at the fine print on the back label, it read 'Product of China'! Why in heck would I prefer apple juice made from apples grown and processed in China, then shipped in containers overseas? To save five cents?

"I'm all for the global economy. But I think we need to take a look at our own spending habits which come from an appetite for 'things' like all the latest toys and gadgets. We want the big house and the boat and HDTV and Xbox. We can't afford them, but we want them anyway. So we buy cheap and on credit.

"It's time to re-evaluate how we spend our money and our lives. It starts right here at home. As a result of consumer spending choices made 20 years ago, some products just aren't made here anymore. The fix isn't going to happen overnight, but if we start making good choices now, maybe our grandchildren will find pride in the 'Made In America' slogan. Stop complaining and get started on the solution. And the solution starts at home!"

Rick Lamb [relamb@MidTechV.com] says that the US election process is no different now than it's ever been:

"Do you think the election process was any different in the 1800's? We have email now, instead of people passing out flyers, and we have TV usurping the role of the local newspaper. But is the propaganda and psychology any different now than it has been all along? I doubt it. Humans were using "sophisticated" propaganda and psychology before there were even names for such things. You can probably take almost any political debate in the history of this country, remove the specific content/topic and date, and the rhetoric will be the same.

"The general populace has MORE opportunity to be informed now, than ever before. Despite the inundation of 30 second sound bytes, you now HAVE the opportunity to research facts on your own, get data, and form your own opinion. Did you have that ability in 1888? No, you lived with news spread by gossip, the pony express, and the local printing proprietor, especially if you didn't live in a big city.

"Politics started with the caveman's first two candidates for tribal leader, and human nature has not changed since. There were always threats to our survival, there are always bullies trying to wrest power, and there is always the politics of human nature. It's ALWAYS been about who had the best sound byte, propaganda and psychology."