“Consider two corporations… Corporation A uses the proceeds from its stock and bond sales to invest in plant, equipment, research, and development… increasing the probabilities that its profits will grow faster in the future…. Now consider Corporation B. It uses the proceeds from its stock and bond sales to throw parties for its senior management, occasionally throwing a few crumbs to the lumpenproletariat, too… decreasing the probabilities that its profits will grow faster in the future.” So goes an analogy by Paul Kasriel, director of economic research at Northern Trust (where W. keeps the twins‘ trust funds). Not only is U.S. capital investment (NDP/GDP) down below Depression levels, but an ever-increasing percentage of “foreign investment” comes from Asian central banks rushing to prop up the dollar and thus lucrative exports to needy U.S. consumers. The dollar collapse may well come sooner rather than later.

“This is the Shopping of Meaning. ‘The American consumer is in a state of heightened emotionalism.’ After surveying 2,300 consumers, the authors concluded that ‘many Americans feel overworked, isolated, lonely, worried, and unhappy.’ But it turns out the cure is shopping for premium-priced products.” Daniel Gross