This is why Carter may still edge out Obama as our worst modern President

op2

Sophomore
Mar 16, 2014
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How exactly is it possible for what he says to not happen, other than perhaps us nuking every other nation on earth? The US has only 4-5% of the worlds population and is already very wealthy per capita, which makes incremental gains harder than for poorer countries like China.

China has 4 times as many people as we do and they're finally getting to the point where their overall economy is about the size as ours, which means they're per capita wealth is about 1/4th of ours. Other than terrible mismanagement by China's government, is there some way for this to not happen?
 

WVPATX

Freshman
Jan 27, 2005
28,197
91
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How exactly is it possible for what he says to not happen, other than perhaps us nuking every other nation on earth? The US has only 4-5% of the worlds population and is already very wealthy per capita, which makes incremental gains harder than for poorer countries like China.

China has 4 times as many people as we do and they're finally getting to the point where their overall economy is about the size as ours, which means they're per capita wealth is about 1/4th of ours. Other than terrible mismanagement by China's government, is there some way for this to not happen?

Inevitable? Decline? We can and should be the economic engine of the world. We Should be able to continue to grow our wealth and our economy. There is nothing inevitable about our decline unless of course we continue to elect Democrat presidents .
 

op2

Sophomore
Mar 16, 2014
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Inevitable? Decline? We can and should be the economic engine of the world. We Should be able to continue to grow our wealth and our economy. There is nothing inevitable about our decline unless of course we continue to elect Democrat presidents .

I don't think you understand what they're saying, or given your record maybe you do understand it but are pretending not to. The US isn't declining in absolute terms but in relative terms. The richer a country is the harder it is to achieve per capita increases. OTOH it is very easy for poor countries to do so. So if the per capital wealth of the US and some poor country is 30 K and 5 K respectively then it's hard for the US to go from 30 to 31 but easy for the poor country to go from 5 to 6. And in the process the US goes from 6 to 5.17 times as wealthy per capita.

There are a lot of poor countries with a lot of poor people in the world and those countries are getting wealthier (or less poor) quickly. The US OTOH, as well as the rest of the developed world, are increasing in per capita wealth less quickly because it is inherently more difficult for those countries to increase per capita growth.
 

WVPATX

Freshman
Jan 27, 2005
28,197
91
38
I don't think you understand what they're saying, or given your record maybe you do understand it but are pretending not to. The US isn't declining in absolute terms but in relative terms. The richer a country is the harder it is to achieve per capita increases. OTOH it is very easy for poor countries to do so. So if the per capital wealth of the US and some poor country is 30 K and 5 K respectively then it's hard for the US to go from 30 to 31 but easy for the poor country to go from 5 to 6. And in the process the US goes from 6 to 5.17 times as wealthy per capita.

There are a lot of poor countries with a lot of poor people in the world and those countries are getting wealthier (or less poor) quickly. The US OTOH, as well as the rest of the developed world, are increasing in per capita wealth less quickly because it is inherently more difficult for those countries to increase per capita growth.

India? South Africa? China is an economic bubble. With our military and economic supremacy, we should never lose our preeminent position, unless we continue to elect Dems. Carter said the same thing about the U.S. Before Reagan, lol.
 

moe

Sophomore
May 29, 2001
32,474
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India? South Africa? China is an economic bubble. With our military and economic supremacy, we should never lose our preeminent position, unless we continue to elect Dems. Carter said the same thing about the U.S. Before Reagan, lol.
I wouldn't say that we're declining but other countries (China) are catching up. We still lead but other countries have grown their economies or joined ranks (EU) to challenge us. What Carter did during his presidency is one thing but to rate his presidency on something he said decades later doesn't make a lot of sense. China is an economic bubble? sure their stock market is bursting but you're a fool if you don't respect China's position in the world, economic and otherwise. Who do you think we borrow money from (among other sources)? Speaking of electing Dems, who left us in an economic sh*t hole just before BO? You better do a review before you keep beating your chest about who gets elected prez. I won't even ask you to produce the Carter quote and discuss the context.
 

WVPATX

Freshman
Jan 27, 2005
28,197
91
38
I wouldn't say that we're declining but other countries (China) are catching up. We still lead but other countries have grown their economies or joined ranks (EU) to challenge us. What Carter did during his presidency is one thing but to rate his presidency on something he said decades later doesn't make a lot of sense. China is an economic bubble? sure their stock market is bursting but you're a fool if you don't respect China's position in the world, economic and otherwise. Who do you think we borrow money from (among other sources)? Speaking of electing Dems, who left us in an economic sh*t hole just before BO? You better do a review before you keep beating your chest about who gets elected prez. I won't even ask you to produce the Carter quote and discuss the context.

Don't give me the crap that 2008 was Bush's fault. Dems and Republicans were both culpable. Read Carter's malaise speech. He was wrong then and he's wrong now. Our "decline" isn't inevitable. We can and should remain the leader of the free world both economically and militarily. Unfortunately, Obama's policies are leading to a US decline, but a good president can restore our position where our friends respect us and our enemies fear us.
 

op2

Sophomore
Mar 16, 2014
10,879
169
53
Don't give me the crap that 2008 was Bush's fault. Dems and Republicans were both culpable. Read Carter's malaise speech. He was wrong then and he's wrong now. Our "decline" isn't inevitable. We can and should remain the leader of the free world both economically and militarily. Unfortunately, Obama's policies are leading to a US decline, but a good president can restore our position where our friends respect us and our enemies fear us.

You're again misinterpreting the word "decline," equating to meant the US not being the leader of the free world. The US has been the leader of the free world for decades and yet for probably 40 years if not more it has been declining in the sense that Carter used the word. In fact, considering what a mess Europe was in at the end of WW 2, I wouldn't be surprised if the US has been declining for 70 years now.

If the rate at which the economy of the rest of the world is growing is larger than the rate at which the economy of the US is growing, then the US is declining in the sense Carter used the word.
 

WVPATX

Freshman
Jan 27, 2005
28,197
91
38
You're again misinterpreting the word "decline," equating to meant the US not being the leader of the free world. The US has been the leader of the free world for decades and yet for probably 40 years if not more it has been declining in the sense that Carter used the word. In fact, considering what a mess Europe was in at the end of WW 2, I wouldn't be surprised if the US has been declining for 70 years now.

If the rate at which the economy of the rest of the world is growing is larger than the rate at which the economy of the US is growing, then the US is declining in the sense Carter used the word.

Carter has always been a pessimist. Yes, other countries will get stronger but that doesn't mean we can't continue to grow and to maintain our leadership. He is talking about our declining influence and there is nothing inevitable about that.
 

moe

Sophomore
May 29, 2001
32,474
141
63
Carter has always been a pessimist. Yes, other countries will get stronger but that doesn't mean we can't continue to grow and to maintain our leadership. He is talking about our declining influence and there is nothing inevitable about that.
Since we're ranking, GeeDub is worse that both Carter and BO.