a weakened currency is a double-edged sword. There is an undeniable economic stimulus to having a weakened currency- a very strong one.

Hard economic times also have a bounce effect. A darwinian selection is applied to existing businesses, the weak fold, the survivors (big and small) are left looking at bigger market shares to go gobble-up- Something small businesses tend to out-perform at, which means more upper-middle and middle class people with more money to spend...

Plus, unpleasantly for american workers, there is just as much work to do, but fewer co-workers (layoffs) to split the work up with, so per-worker 'productivity' soars and labor costs drop.

Also, a weakening currency in the absence of inflation and global protectionism can be a 'for free'/'stealth' tariff, improving the cost comparisons between local domestec products and imports (in some cases). Expanding local markets as well as over-seas

Every time in the 'unsweet' spots in the wax-and-wane cycle of American bad behavior and (the sometimes unrelated) cycle of anti/pro american sentiment, many folks want to say that were getting an econimic 'punishment' (damn calvinists, they're everywhere!) for being bad/being percieved as bad. It doesn't work that way....

Next year-or-decade we'll be back to preening our capitalist feathers for the envy of all. But at least you guys get vacations and get to watch your kids grow up. We get the 60hr work week and 2 weeks 'vacation' with a cell-phone and roll of rolaids in the pocket of our dinky hawaiian shirt....

If you really want to see the american economy subverted, get all your canadian and Euro friends writing blogs about what they did when they took 2 months paid vacation, or how much time they got to spend with their family during their 32hr work week... Then spam us with the links. Revolution will ensue.

Davin L.