Given my expectation that the U.S. economy is going to plateau at some point below our current GDP, it should be no surprise the vast number of unemployed concern me.  The U.S. economy can no longer sustain itself on huge injections of borrowed stimulus money, just as an athlete cannot maintain peak performance when the it is drug induced.

There are "Natural laws of economics" and I think the U.S. Government, Federal Reserve and state governments have been breaking them routinely and passing it off as debt that the "future" will take care of.  They are not in positions to borrow anymore money and make things all better for us. 

"Pay as you go" will become the brutal reality of our economy because Government will not have the credibility nor resources to borrow money.   The public today is experiencing "PAYGO" now with the massive contraction in credit offered and outstanding. 

Just as the athlete who pumped themselves up will now have to shrink to their natural, sustainable, healthy size, so must the U.S. Economy shrink to its natural, sustainable and healthy size.  If we can get the Government and the Federal Reserve to give up the steroids and adopt a sustainable economic philosophy we will have a chance at re-building the American standard of living.

In the mean time, what are we going to do with the millions of unemployed? 

A glimpse of the future can be seen in the performance of Whole Foods Markets.  Craftsmanship in our food, furniture and clothing is in our future.  Locally produced and manufactured goods and services will replace the job killing corporate conglomerates.

A sustainable economy will produce better food, a healthier planet with healthier inhabitants.  Lowering the stress levels from steroid induced high-frequency economic activity will come as welcome relief, and will show up as less doctor visits and a lower demand for health care services.

Think about it what would be your hobby job.