US economic power

[Rex Brynen]

I love this map from strangemaps--it replaces the names of US states with those of countries with similar GDPs, and in so doing highlights the continuing extent of US economic power.

The Iranian threat? Think Alabama.

"Oil rich Saudi Arabia?" Think Tennessee.



(A more recent World bank ranking of GNI can be found here.)

[Tom Odom]

Obviously inaccurate, Rex. Thibodeaux and Boudreaux doan liv in no Indoneeesia.

[Ken White]

go to a Kimchi based diet...

[Ron Humphrey]

go to a Kimchi based diet...

Come on, it has its benefits

Fresh breath just wouldin be one of em

[Tom Odom]

Then again, California and France does make a good match...

[Rex Brynen]

Actually, as a University of Calgary graduate, I was quite happy we got Texas

[Adam L]

Then again, California and France does make a good match...

I always found it funny how its always people from California who go on and on about how they have the best wine in the world, and yet they are always ordering high end French wines. Now they can honestly say they order California wine. Personally, I think they are both too damn expensive. Why spend $75 dollars on a bottle of wine that may not even last the meal, when you could drink get descent wine for 12-20 (there are some very nice Chilean and New Zealand wines for less than 15, or you can get great Pinot Grigio for 20) have 55 bucks left over and get yourself a good Scotch that will last you a while. In the end, liquor is a lot more economical than wine. LOL!

Actually, as a University of Calgary graduate, I was quite happy we got Texas

Of course you would get Texas. Half the engineers, chemists, etc. are already in Alberta! LOL! Still, too many Albertans do not understand that it might be dangerous to their health tho call a Texan a "Yankee."

Adam L

[Icepack6]

even though, as a native Nu Yawkah, I consistently bemoan the liberal tendencies of my home state. . . . but, NYS could not handle the spectacle of Brazilian carnival. If so, I would move back

[Tom Odom]

even though, as a native Nu Yawkah, I consistently bemoan the liberal tendencies of my home state. . . . but, NYS could not handle the spectacle of Brazilian carnival. If so, I would move back

Great Avitar! That you?

[marct]

If America is in decline, then the world is in decline.

You overestimate the relevance of the USA.

You know, Schmedlap, Fuchs is right; you are overestimating the importance and relevance of the US economy.

Two points that haven't been mentioned but should be are:

1. Rhetoric aside, we (North America) don't have a "service economy" we have an "information economy" that drives service industries. The two are quite different. Furthermore, many of the areas, such as call centres, data entry, etc., that made up the service industries from the 1960's are now outsourced to India and China.
2. Everyone seems to be confused by this idea of national economic power and has forgotten that large amounts of industrial capacity are not held by nation states but, rather, are held by non-state actors such as GM, Ford, etc. Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) are as "stateless" as groups such as al Quaida and, if their interests are not being met in one nation, then they will move to another.

Final point on "indicators"...

Indicators are signs pointing towards something, but there are some pretty basic flaws in our assumptions about what they point towards. For example, what does shipbuilding capacity/production point towards? Ken touches on this in his coment about shipbuilding earlier.

And while we are talking about indicators, let me bring out my favorite example.... Did you know that buggy whip production used to be used as he indicator for personal transportation capacity? Well, since it's the indicator (said with a hushed and reverant tone), what does that tell us about the state of US and Canadian personal transport capacity????? We're DOOMED !!!!!!