These are troubling times. I remember the famous refrain of the first Clinton '92 campaign... "It's the economy, Stupid"... and it's still true today. However, we have been reminded over and over that the last gasp of a failing system is the politicians' inclination to steer the nation into war and fear in order to distract the people from the real problems of the leaders' own making. Dems & Reps are equally guilty, and the people are complicit for putting up with it and being uncritical of the weak explanations we receive from media and government. Meanwhile, we watch asset bubbles inflate with bogus money and ultimately earn a front row seat to a financial implosion when the bond market goes super nova...