– An interview on American PBS (Public Broadcast), Sept 16, “Charlie Rose” in conversation with New York Times columnist David Brooks. I interpreted Brooks to say that a reason the Obama strategies have not worked is because they required a buy-in from the American public which did not happen. That was the mistake of the Obama administration: they did not understand that the American public does not trust the Government. They would not get the buy-in they needed to make things work.
– I heard Brooks, who is a mainstream journalist, describe the times as being “pre-revolution”. Which surprised me – – I still wonder if I heard right – – it is unexpected to hear a mainstream journalist on relatively conservative PBS make such a statement! And if I heard right, he said that the American financial structure will not survive for more than another 10 years.
– The addition by the RCMP of “coup d’etat” to the list of four threats faced by Canadians is not independent of the situation in the U.S.
– Which reminds me (recent CBC Radio, “The Current”) : the ratio of individual debt to GDP in Canada is second in the world only to the U.S. And we are rapidly closing the gap so that we will be a contender for the #1 spot. (UPDATE: we have now taken over #1 spot.) That makes our economy very vulnerable. Once defaults on debt-repayment start you get a domino effect, as in the American housing market example. It’s another reason why we as tax-payers don’t need $16 billion more in debt for fighter jets.