patientlywaiting, as a frequent traveler myself and also as an immigrant who washed up to these shores a few years ago, I have never encountered a more free, open society which is tolerant to change as the one I am living in now. Apologies for not buying into this doom & gloom crap which seems to be the theme of the week here.
Seriously, why would anybody compare this economy with a bunch of city states living off of innovations from here AND off the magnanimity of the tax payers here who are subsidizing their security? How come I never hear of people packing off to go live in Israel, Singapore, Abu Dhabi or whatever if things are so good over there?
Things only “look” bad here because everything is out in the open unlike other countries. If I were betting on economies, I would be a fool to short this one.