Thank you RGE and Professor for this. It was very good.I didn’t learn a lot that I didn’t already know but it is always comforting to know that others see issues in a similar manner.A few things that I think will interfere with the optimistic scenarios of of Mr Milken and some of the possible processes that Professor Roubini talked about are the huge and partially funded pension systems in the US. I just don’t see how any of the existing pensioners or nearly retired are going to agree to reductions. I know a few and they really live up to the extent of their incomes. Most saved little while working because of the generous pensions that were promised, by the government.. Which means any significant loss in incomes will cause them extreme pain and depress their spending accordingly. If not send many into default and foreclosure. These same pensions are one of the reasons that states and local governments are in such poor conditions financially. And why they will be in worse trouble in the future with out more than a vigorous recovery of incomes and tax structures.It is much easier to talk about fixing these issues than actually fixing them.I also have trouble with the scenarios of the government actually solving any of the problems, whether it is about real financial reform or re balancing the unfunded mandates or promises. I have no faith that any government entity will be able to come close to balancing their budgets in the next decade. This is partly because US Senators are so powerful. The make up of the Senate, with the country having most of the Senators from rural states, and the really different attitudes/outlooks between rural and urban populations, I believe that it will be nearly impossible to have any meaningful conversations about taxes, immigration or financial reform.This is exacerbated by the main sources of information that many if not most in the rural population listen to is neither fair nor balance. They may believe they are, but only from a very narrow point of view. I do not really know if Fox News caters to the the rural people or the rural attitudes significantly attribute to Fox News’ programing style. Either way, the things I hear from my community are ignorant and racist. Their hate of government is profoundly stupid. Fox News both feeds upon and encourages many misconceptions held widely by most rural communities I have had contact with.The divisions are further exacerbated by existing campaign finance laws, including the new law enacted by an activist Supreme Court.With the make up of the Senate, that loves to be re-elected, I just do not believe that the US has a chance of solving these issues. Mr. Milken, I don’t know where you live but your positive attitude ignores many of the realities of how our government works and how the chain of influence works. There really is a separation and a significant difference between rural attitudes and urban attitudes.There is also a significant difference between the educated and the uneducated. And between the well to do and the much less fortunate. Those who have lived their lives away from the real America I see have very different views than the people on the back roads of rural America who vote and control over half the Senate in the US.I am much less positive than you are and I believe for some very sound fundamental reasons. For you to truly understand the issues facing this nation, you need people like me on your discussion panels. If most or all of the people are from the cities, or are very well to do, then you are really only getting a narrow vision of the big picture. Without a truer vision of the BIG Picture, you’ll never get close to having it right or being able to suggest solutions that have a snow balls chance in hell of succeeding.This really is much more complex than any of us can comprehend. And the solutions, if there are any, are going to be much more complex than which came first, the chicken or the egg.

Ok, I see eye to eye with the majority of what is being said right here, I am relieved uncovered this topic. I was recently having a discussion concerning this together with my smart cousin at factory.