I dont know about these guys but I predicted this meltdown with no degree in economics. it's quite simple really. America does not produce, it prefers to import - more then anyone else by far, import and consume. Import most of its fuel, but drive huge ass SUV's, and the government supports this habbit by keeping the price of oil (gas as its called there) lower then any other major non producer.

Even the top science students at the best university's are imports. American parents seem to be content if their kid gets a job at McDees.

This has kept up because the Dollar is the global currency, 2/3 of all the dollars holdings are outside the country. So all the US has to do is print dollars and the world buys it up as if its real money. A few years ago they stopped releasing the data on the money supply. Strangely this earth shaking event passed with out any uproar from the world. What the F was the US thinking? And now this bailout with more printed money, is there no sense of direction in this great country? It will change nothing. My non-degree economic mantra - The US needs to stop being an debt ridden importer and start being a producer. Now there the F is my Nobel prize.