I agree with your assessment, Grzbear...

"does it mean lean times... absolutely, does it mean people will have to work a bit harder and\or make do with less (we are very spoiled brats anyway), absolutely, there is no other way."

However, I just don't see it happening... the status quo does not change that quickly. Perhaps after another four years of whomever wins this election, folks will be ready to make some serious changes. But not now. It's all too new, people haven't experienced the full impact of this financial crisis on a level I believe must occur before they will take a deeper look at their options. People still believe that McCain or Obama can fix this mess, I don't. I think this bailout is completely wrong... we should just let it all fall down around our ears and rebuild from the ashes. Lessons MUST be learned by all.

We need an intelligent leader now to steer us in the direction toward a more Ron Paul ideal.

from the Seattle Times today:

"Obama should be the next president of the United States because he is the most qualified change agent. Obama is a little young, but also brilliant. If he sometimes seems brainy and professorial, that's OK. We need the leader of the free world to think things through, carefully. We have seen the sorry results of shooting from the hip."

Deva