I'm glad you're not an economist, because neither am I! I'm of the mind that the recent jump in indicators like GDP and the Dow are more likely a result of cor

I'm glad you're not an economist, because neither am I! I'm of the mind that the recent jump in indicators like GDP and the Dow are more likely a result of corporate stock buyback programs than any real recovery. Corporate America spent about 4% of GDP on buybacks just last year. Meanwhile the GDP grew by half that amount. Stock buybacks are specifically designed to move stock prices higher. I understand that debt can be used strategically, but America is running consistently in the red. So although the part of the national debt that's foreign-owned is small, it represents wealth that has permanently left the country.