Interesting article and comments. Trump and his team are as ignorant of the facts on China/US trade too as I pointed out in seekingalpha.com/.../4168435-chinas-democracy-vs-u-s-tweetocracy

There is also the possibility that it is not ignorance but that the truth will get no publicity for a person that is addicted to publicity

One of the shocking things about this is the expectation that today’s young and unborn will pay. And they don’t even get a vote on the matter!

I saw a report recently that claimed 40% of Americans only have $400 or less in bank accounts for a “rainy day” so little is available to be put away for pensions either. And the situation has worsened in the past 20 years because of the squeeze on the middle classes in favour if the 1%. Many other countries are little better because money taken in taxes partly to pay for pensions is squandered now and not invested in funds to pay pensions later. I use the word squandered because there is little of value to be seen - infrastructure and state school systems etc., in many countries are in a sad state through neglect.

Given the rising debt mountains in most of those countries - including the US - the situation can only worsen unless something is done. Maybe some “helicopter” money from central banks could be put into funds to get things started and compulsory deductions made from pay that go directly into those funds. Those funds must be untouchable by politicians!! It will not solve the problem overnight but the benefit would start to show in ten years or so. Then those pensioners can become the assets I mentioned in my first comment above.

The ageing population in some countries like Germany is also showing signs of correcting. Females are having first babies at a much older age.

Some countries have sovereign wealth funds devoted primarily to honour the promises made by politicians that we oldies voted for. Norway and Singapore are examples and those funds are protected from the sticky fingers of politicians who would squander them. Their pensioners are wealthy! The US and most of the rest of the west must get the message and do the “unaffordable” and invest! Invest the tax money taken on the promise of goodies later but then squandering it today.

Dear Angry Old Lady, my wife and I - she 72 and I 77 - are going out more and more but it is in the daytime that I talk about because age tends to tire us later.

Depending on the country and the pensions situation ageing populations can be important contributors to a healthy economy. They go out during daytime, shopping, travelling, having lunch out etc. They are spending at times younger people are working. That spending creates employment and employment means tax income for governments. The time is long overdue for ageing populations to be seen as an asset rather than a liability and pensions system in countries where they are inadequate, fixed and fixed fast.

Interesting article. Much of the theory of “experts" is beyond me but central banks have played no role in the taming of inflation in the west in the past 20 or so years. China did that and I, for one, would like to see an end to the monthly circus of central bankers basking in publicity as they pontificate over tinkering with interest rates.

I thought the Volksgeld initiative here in Switzerland an interesting idea. It got rejected in today’s referendum but something like that, with some modifications, would solve many of today’s banking risks.

Cryptocurrencies are being taken seriously here too.

Interesting article. One thing that is very concerning is the lack of investment has taken place during a time of very low money costs. If interest rates go up because the Fed cannot control its twitchy fingers any longer then it is hardly likely that investments will go up. The US tax cuts could have prioritised investment and we can only hope some investment will emerge from that otherwise the 21st century really will belong to China

seekingalpha.com/.../4168435-chinas-democracy-vs-u-s-tweetocracy. James

I do not like Seeking Alpha either because my articles - that take weeks of research - get confined to back pages whereas those of prolific “authors”, who paste in most off their articles from company websites, get editors' plaudits. What I do like is the openness of discussion in comments that happens with my articles on SA. That does not seem to be possible on TalkMarkets. If there were other comments to your article I cannot see them and learn from them, maybe adding further to the conversation myself. James

Good article, the US/China trade deficit looks large but much of it is “made" in the US

seekingalpha.com/.../4168435-chinas-democracy-vs-u-s-tweetocracy