The Foundation of the U.S. Economy Remains Sturdy!

Go Long America

WITH THE LANDSCAPE LITTERED WITH FAILED banks and fallen corporate icons, and with U.S. households and Washington deep in debt, writing America's obituary is back in vogue.

I must say that it has been good material for my blog.

Just as popular is the coronation of China as the world's new economic superpower.

Oops. I thought we were supposed to be heckling China too. I certainly do. My bad.

From the ashes of the U.S.-led global financial meltdown, a new world order is in the making. According to popular opinion, America is declining, while China is rising.

Perhaps popular opinion has been swayed by numerous "Made in China" stickers?

The U.S. makes more goods in a year than any other country, although America's share of global manufacturing output was roughly 17.5% in 2008, down from 22.4% in 1990 and about 20.5% in 1980.

Perhaps popular opinion has been swayed by the objective and difficult to dispute clear trend in America's declining share of global manufacturing output?

Many U.S. manufacturers have held their own the past few decades, even in the face of stiff competition from Japan, Germany and China.

Yes, just as few realize that many Atlantic salmon kelts survive to spawn again (2% to 4% of the entire population), although post-spawning mortality is quite high.

The foundation of the U.S. economy remains sturdy.

If a sign was placed at the entrance to a bridge that said the foundation remains sturdy I would actually be tempted to look for alternate routes. I'm sufficiently paranoid that way.

Crews to shut down Ga. 25 in Port Wentworth today

Cracks in concrete

The bridge, built in 1939, has a foundation that remains sturdy, yet decades of rumbling trucks, many of them bound for the Savannah seaport from South Carolina, have taken a toll.

Most ominous are fissures that have formed at the top of the concrete overpass, according to Allen Morgan, general superintendant with Rogers Bridge Co., which is handling the $3.8 million project.

Talk of replacing the viaduct dates back at least six years, Holbrook said.

"It just wasn't built to handle the heavy loads they have now," he said. "There's no disputing that it needs to be replaced."