David Hartung wrote:

...the basics of our economy were at least as
sound as they were ten years ago. Markets do fluctuate, but the
fundamentals were much the same.

Wow! Are you disconnected from reality!

Ten years ago, you actually had to have a *job* to get a (realistic)
mortgage, not just be able to fog a mirror to get one of those "Liar
Loans". Ten years ago, the motel housekeeper who grossed $24,000/year
(and tens of thousands like her) would *not* be able to get a $739,000
mortgage like she did, as recently reported by the Wall Street Journal.

I'm sorry, but if you think the fundamentals of this economy are "much
the same" and "sound", you've been watching too many McCain ads.

Hmmm, come to think of it, I don't remember the Big Three auto companies
teetering on the brink of bankruptcy ten years ago, either. A MAJOR
industry that employs one in ten people in this country ready to go
belly up. Sure sounds 'fundamentally sound' to me.

NOT!