I lol'ed reading this article. The US economy has come full circle. We are now little more than a corrupt basket case petro state. Low energy prices are typically considered a boon to modern, industrialized nation states, for obvious reasons. After 30+ years of free trade, I guess the USA is no longer an "industrialized nation." The only things we produce now are oil, gas, timber, shitty social media apps, a poisonous culture, and periodic episodes of quantitative-easing.
A disclaimer: Do not take my post as a rant against the NA energy sector. I am a great supporter of energy independence and the many highly paid jobs that come with it. Rather, I am just saying it's funny that we have lost the entirety of our manufacturing base, which once used to be the defining trait of a prosperous, technologically preeminent economy. Another thing: it's uncanny that as the US begins to converge with Brazil demographically, it's converging with Brazil economically as well. A shrinking middle class? Check. Huge income inequality? Check. Money printing? Check. An economy reliant on natural resource extraction? Check. Big booty chicks with thin waists? Er....
A disclaimer: Do not take my post as a rant against the NA energy sector. I am a great supporter of energy independence and the many highly paid jobs that come with it. Rather, I am just saying it's funny that we have lost the entirety of our manufacturing base, which once used to be the defining trait of a prosperous, technologically preeminent economy. Another thing: it's uncanny that as the US begins to converge with Brazil demographically, it's converging with Brazil economically as well. A shrinking middle class? Check. Huge income inequality? Check. Money printing? Check. An economy reliant on natural resource extraction? Check. Big booty chicks with thin waists? Er....