Where is the US economy headed?

I see, so your tag is related to the Walton's then. Cool, I always love that show.

Yeah, Earl Hamner created "The Waltons" and placed them in the area of VA where he grew up in the depression. 20 miles south of Cville. Amusingly, the lovely Ms Letty grew up even closer than did I.
The actor Richard Thomas played "JohnBoy" who aspired to be a writer.
I aspired to be a writer.
I chose the name RealJohnBoy, alluding to the Walton's TV show and to the fact that I am actually from here.
Both Cville and Walton's Mountain are far removed from the deep hollows of the mountains, though.

In 1984 we spent a long (4 mo) summer based in White Sulphur Springs WV and, after thoroughly exploring West Virginia, we spent most weekend wandering along the Blue Ridge Parkway and points off I-64 in Virginia which frequently took us into or near C-ville. Mile for mile, that area is one of the most beautiful in the USA and yes, I did imagine it being a home base for the Walton family. (I also aspired to be a writer. Still do.)

Back sort of on topic though, I often wondered what a dedicated 'urban renewal' type project would do to that country. I can't imagine that the people would be better off.

Foxy love-- If you aspire to be a writer you really will have to eschew saying things like "thoroughly exploring West Virginia". Especially if the exploration only lasted 4 months.

It is a bit like wandering through The Louvre at 3 mph eating a hamburger and imagining you have a good grasp on Western art.

Um, I can't remember what we were talking about.

That would be like tennis courts and swimming pool in Hootin' Holler.

Are yall mocking me? Not nice. Tennis courts in rural VA or WVA , Roger? Not unless one of your feet is much longer than the other. " Urban renewal," Fox, in this "country." I missed the allusion to a different country.
Anyway, here is my plan for rural areas like Western VA and parts of WVA. It may be inappropriate for other areas.
1) Housing. Sure, we all want to live in a big, new house. But it is not the govt's job to provide a brick rambler. True enough that some, many, places are energy inefficient in the mountains. But I would put this in (gasp) 3rd place.
2} Water and sanitation. It should be a no-brainer, but is it?
3) Health Care. 20-30 miles can be a long distance, and equally long back. UVA (a public hospital) and Martha Jefferson (private) are opening satellite clinics in outlying cities. Feeding patients to them (the cynic in me says). How about setting up similar clinics 30 miles apart in rural areas, staffed by the appropriate professionals overseen by a General Practioner doing the circuit. I put this at the top of the list.
4) Long-Term Care. This thing is a time-bomb. We better start planning for when JohnBoy and Fox start drueling. I would build assisted living facilities adjacent to the clinics, constructed to code and staffed by local folks who know and are known by the residents.

this would be a good time for a riff on how our economic system does not properly allocate resources, about how the economy has become detached from the best interests of the majority of the citizens.

Riff away. I will pay attention. You may want to d0 it in small bites.

What exactly are the best interests of the majority of the citizens?

Since we are now governing by polls, here's Rasmussen information. And Obama is at Minus 5, as his "spend more, get less" policy fails of course. Wonder why Sam Walton didn't try that? Spend more, get less, that sounds kind of catchy.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

"In the wake of last week’s disappointing report on job loss, consumer confidence has fallen to the lowest level in two months. The Rasmussen Investor Index shows investor confidence falling to the lowest level in three months. The number of investors who say the economy is getting worse jumped from 43% before the jobs report to 51% today. "

rjb, The first hour can be critical to the survival of a patient who suffers an injury or heart attack. If any hospital or clinic is too far away, it's usually a good idea to have locals learn first aid techniques.

DJIA since last year about this time, when Obama had just pretty much clinched the race against Hillary:



Heres the last 5 days:

You repeatedly make idiotic comparisons; this economic crisis started in 2007 which happens to be during Bush's term. Because Bush didn't do his job, the whole world economy suffered; it was during his "watch," and if he had any sense of responsibility like other presidents, the buck stops at his desk. The stock market was already on the downtrend, and you assume it's all Obama's fault. You are so damn ignorant about so many subjects, I'm not sure how you even graduated from grade school.

Most investors lost 40% of their 401Ks and IRAs in 2008; that happens to be during Bush's presidency. Obama's tenure started on January 20, 2009.

As salutatorian of my class.

That figures; your school failed all of you!

The stock market is significantly affected by future outlook, obviously, ci. When it increasingly became apparent that Obama was going to be elected, the market began to tank. Bush presided over the beginning of the downturn, but Obama has made it far more severe and deeper than necessary. Markers in the downturn were obvious when Obama clinched over Hillary, when the polls picked Obama over McCain, and when Obama won the election, and then when Obama took office. This is mostly Obama's recession. He has spent a ton of money with no results, or negative results. Obama claimed this was the worst recession since the depression during the campaign, but now Biden claims they underestimated the recession. They are obviously not honest about much of anything.

Their economic theories are not working, plain and simple. And why would the free market respond favorably to a Marxist? The answer is obvious, it does not.

How did Obama make it "more severe?" Details, please!

As I said already, why would the free market respond favorably to a Marxist? The answer is obvious, it does not.

Who else besides yourself calls Obama a Marxist?

That should be a clue as to why your perception of the real world is non-existent!