[paraclete]

The dreaded ratings agencies have struck again and now the US has some companions in the AA+ stakes
Europe braces for S&P downgrades - Jan. 13, 2012

[tomder55]

Everything is going according to plan. The US announced troop reductions to a bare minimum in Europe at the same time of this downgrade notice.

The Western alliance is breaking up at the same time that a new Berlin -Moscow axis is emerging .

Here in the US the President still has a policy of remaking the US into a European model when what we need is a national Bain Capital to come in and restructure USA Incorporated .

[paraclete]

So you think the US would benefit from some asset stripping, just how much asset stripping can it take?

[tomder55]

The President this week ,in an attempt to out-Romney Romney ,announced a plan to consolidate various trade agencies into one super politboro . No doubt once consolidated ,he would recess appoint one of his anti-trade anti-business cronies negating all the positive effects such a move could make .

But if done properly; (unlike the ridiculous consolidation of intelligence done during the Bush years into the creation of the Director of National Intelligence ) ,redundency could be eliminated . Bad for the excess government paid "civil servants " ,but good for the country if managed by a competent private equity type .

[paraclete]

So you think Romney is the man who can manage trade, but can he manage redundancy?

[paraclete]

Have you noted what a select group AA+ ratings really are. There are the economic powerhouses, the US and France and then you have Guernsy, The Isle of Man and Austria. Talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous, still when you are on the way down any port in a storm

[earl237]

Looks like Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Finland are the only AAA rated countries left in Europe, although I heard that Estonia also has a very impressive debt and economy, I wish the PIIGS nations would take lessons from them before it is too late. I think Canada also has a AAA rating as well. Switzerland is doing very well, but they are not in the EU.

[paraclete]

Looks like Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Finland are the only AAA rated countries left in Europe, although I heard that Estonia also has a very impressive debt and economy, I wish the PIIGS nations would take lessons from them before it is too late. I think Canada also has a AAA rating as well. Switzerland is doing very well, but they are not in the EU.

Yes There are very few of the top 20 countries with their AAA rating intact. Australia also has a AAA rating. Some of those EU members have negative outlooks, which is a way of saying the next time we might downgrade you

The PIGS cannot take lessons because it is too late, they maxed out their credit card and now must pay the bill, which of course they cannot do. Your own fair nation should also take the lesson. It appears to have no wish to curb its expenditure and return its debt level to more sensible levels. It is easy to be critical of southern Europe but the problem is deeper than debt, it is also about tax and social security. The countries that are in trouble have an inefficient taxation system and big pension plans, they haven't learned that you have to put some in to take some out.

The Euro was a foolish experiment, a few Federal countries in the world have an efficient common currency system. You have to have the political will to have a common value chain and government that can truly make decisions for all

[tomder55]

I wish the PIIGS nations would take lessons from them before it is too late

And California ;Illinois ,and many other states in our Ameritopia .

[paraclete]

Why not start in Washington DC, Pennsylvannia Avenue is as good a place as any