[Marxism] Slow motion recession

[S. Artesian]

Steve,

 I don't recall anyone making vacuous statements about this. Some disagreed 
with your view.  I am one of those if by the weakness of US capitalism you 
mean that there are alternative, stronger capitalisms that will replace the 
US.

But you want facts?  How about statistics which are better than facts 
becauses as we know facts can be lies, but statistics are even beyond 
damnable lies.

In the immortal words of George Clinton-- Feet Don't Fail Me Now

Anyway some of my favorites, from the Statistical Abstract of the United 
States (I guess that risks immediate disqualification, but such is life).

1. Gross National Income: Number 1 country: 2000 US: $9674 billion; 2005 US: 
$12913; Number 2 country: 2000 Japan: $4492 billion; 2005 Japan:$4977.

2. GDP growth in 2000 constant dollars:
Composite of all OECD countries 1995-2004; $22500 billion to $28665.
US: $7973 billion to $10704
Second place:  Japan:  $3100 billion to $3432


3. Average annual rates of growth for labor productivity:

All OECD not including US: 1995-2000, 1.8%; 2000-2006, 1.9%
US: 2.3%, 2.3%

EU ("old" 15) 1.8%, 1.1%
EU (total 25) 2.1%, 1.5%

4.  My personal favorite:  rate of profits, manufacturing, after taxes, in 
relation to stockholders equity. US 2005  16.6%; 2006 18%.  (Still checking 
OECD sources for comparable rates).  These rates are of course influenced by 
the relative restriction on capital investment prior to 2005, stock 
buybacks, and reduction of equity (which however  did not see increased 
rates of  accumulation of corporate debt as a substitute for equity), offset 
by the recovery of share prices between 2003 and 2007.

5.  Another personal favorite:  Percent of final household income spent on 
food:  US 7.5%, tied with Ireland for lowest ratio.  Next closest "major"? 
UK, 9.1%.  Japan 14.4%; Germany 11.9%


The immortal words of George Clinton-- This is chance to dance our way out 
of our constrictions.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Palmer" <spalmer999 at yahoo.com>
To: <sartesian at earthlink.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 11:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Marxism] Slow motion recession


Where, in these facts, is the supposed strength of US capitalism, so 
strongly
yet vacuously trumpeted by various subscribers to this list?