Dollar Dropping Like a F-ing Rock!

[opebo]

Every day we go farther down this road:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/041108/euro_dollar_15.html

Better get used to economic mediocrity - well I suppose Bush staters are used to that already.

[opebo]

The value of the dollar does not indicate the strength of the American economy. We could double everyone's money tomorrow, and we'd still have the same economy.

You have no understanding of economics.  The value of the dollar relativel to other currencies is a direct result of the market's assessment of the viability of America - economy, government, society, etc.  And the market currently thinks the US is going down the tubes - has thought so since 2000.

[opebo]

You don't know what you're talking about. The value of the dollar relative to other currency depends on two things:
A. the goods and services that can be purchased with it
B. the availability of it, setting the prices of those goods and services

OK, why then have Europeans gotten so much richer and Americans so much poorer over the last four years?  They can buy enormously more than we can - they're just plain better off than us, and it all comes down to having a strong currency.  The dollar is toilet paper compared to the Euro.

[opebo]

You don't know what you're talking about. The value of the dollar relative to other currency depends on two things:
A. the goods and services that can be purchased with it
B. the availability of it, setting the prices of those goods and services

OK, why then have Europeans gotten so much richer and Americans so much poorer over the last four years?  They can buy enormously more than we can - they're just plain better off than us, and it all comes down to having a strong currency.  The dollar is toilet paper compared to the Euro.

So I take it you'll be wiping your arse with dollar bills from now on?

Well.. if I were out in the jungle, and had to go.. and all I had were dollar bills and Euros to wipe with, you can bet I'd use the dollars!

Actually, interestingly enough, here in Thailand we use little sprayers like the dishwasher sprayer hose in a typical American sink, only attached to the toilet.  Very clean!

[opebo]

You don't know what you're talking about. The value of the dollar relative to other currency depends on two things:
A. the goods and services that can be purchased with it
B. the availability of it, setting the prices of those goods and services

OK, why then have Europeans gotten so much richer and Americans so much poorer over the last four years?  They can buy enormously more than we can - they're just plain better off than us, and it all comes down to having a strong currency.  The dollar is toilet paper compared to the Euro.

So I take it you'll be wiping your arse with dollar bills from now on?

Well.. if I were out in the jungle, and had to go.. and all I had were dollar bills and Euros to wipe with, you can bet I'd use the dollars!

Actually, interestingly enough, here in Thailand we use little sprayers like the dishwasher sprayer hose in a typical American sink, only attached to the toilet.  Very clean!

Opebo is as ignorant of economics as he is theology.  The great European economy that you speak of is not in great shape.  Have you looked at some unemployment figures for France and Germany?  The American economy is still the most robust worldwide and will remain so as long mainland Europe has archaic labour practices.

The point was that the European economy is better for quality of life - being unemployed in Europe is generally much better than being employed at the lower echelons in the US.  Generous social safety net don't you know.  Those 'archaic labour practices' are precisely what workers want!

[opebo]

Opebus defunctus

Our economic engine of prosperity dwarfs that of Europe.  That so-called safety net of theirs in Europe is causing them to rethink the wisdom of such frivloity.  There have been several years of unrest in France because of long overdue reforms in their retirement system.  Strikes are rampant in all industries from railroad to airline to education.  The unemployment in France is over 10% and that outlook is not good.  The pure burden on their economy is causing the European Union to force France into several reform measures.

Yes, there have been attempts in that direction, but obviously they will make life worse for the workers - more like it is here.  I'm sure if I were working-class I would prefer a 10% unemployment rate with a generous social saftey net than a 5% unemployment rate with abysmally low wages and no benefits, ala America.

[opebo]

What's the unemployment rate in the opebus defunctus state of Thialand?  Average wage?

It is a Third World country..  and therefore much more like the US  than like Europe in terms of treatment of workers.  Unemployment is officially in the 5% or below rank most of the time, though 'underemployment' is pretty big.  Average wage - well, the per capita GDP is about $2000 or $2,500.. in Purchasing Power Parity that is about $7,000 a year.  Check out http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/th.html
As for wages of working people - the legal minimum wage is around $4 a day.  A more typical wage, like say a semi-skilled construction worker, would be $10 a day.  Interestingly, the girls in the 'nightlife' business make around $25 a day, at least until the moralists stamp out that option.

[opebo]

Interestingly, there is LESS inequality in Thailand than the US - the GINI index is 41.4 in Thailand and 45 in the US.  For reference,  France is 32.7 and Brazil is 60.7.

All numbers from the CIA World Fact Book: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

[opebo]

Yes, the falling dolalr is killing us.

How shall we ever survive the falling trade deficit?

HAH! It fell to something 51 billion dollars in a month?  Wow, such progress - the annual deficit should therefore be in the 600 billion range.   Basically you're arguing that we should become poorer in order to sell more abroad.  OK, whatever floats your boat, but at least admit that Americans are becoming poorer - thats the whole point of the administration's economic strategy. 

[opebo]

Opebo, why don't you have your United States citizenship revoked?

Well, I certainly would if I thought I could get Swiss, Dutch, Belgian, Danish, Norweigan, or French citizenship.   And of course there are many others..

In practice my Nationality is more about where my inheritance resides than where I do.