IV: The economy after 1981

WOW what can I say about this chapter.

I have always known something shifted at that time in America. Because all throughout my childhood people were complaining about imports (IE: my grand complaining about those "GOD DAMN JAP CARS") When I asked them if this was happening before I was born they would always tell me it began just afterword. Not knowing how it was before I just hummed along and paid no mind to the ramifications of President Reagon's economic policy. I do remember however at my (happened on my birthday) year family reunion, in 1987, my family talking about how Reagon was giving up the ship and that unless things changed America was doomed, they also railed about MTV quite a bit as well.

That being said my economic memmory really started going at around 1990 when my gifted class started learning about supply and demand and how to work the stock market. At that time and shortly thereafter, I heard Ross Perot speak about the giant sucking sound and how nafta was going to kill America. Welp, he didn't win political office, the power that be all but eliminated the possibility of a 3rd party canidate, by changing debate rules and then passing laws to codify those rules under penalty of criminal prosecution (even though it is a private company that runs the debates).

Jack was right, as was most of America in saying that we were going to and did hear the giant sucking sound. And Ross Perot's run in 1996 showed just how true his original statements were. (and he was not allowed in the debates under the new rules)

Since than the giant sucking sound has continued, giant American companies went overseas to avoid the taxes and Executives started getting massive bonuses by screwing over the people they own workers. Meanwhile the average American would be none the wiser, because they would by buying cheaper goods and then after the war started 2001 they would enjoy record low interest rates, from which they will fuel even more debt by the average person.

I have known this for years, however James put it all in perspective and more eloquently then I ever could.

Hollis