The first decade of the 21st century ends at midnight tonight and we still don’t have a name for it.
That’s unacceptable.
Because I think the events of this past decade are less notable for their impact during the decade than for what they portend for the future, I have coined the decade the “Ominous Aughts.”
Here is what happened in the last 10 years that should give us all cause for concern about America’s future:
- Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism
- Rise in deficits
- Collapse of U.S. banking and housing industries
- Virulent political partisanship and lack of open-mindedness
- Rise in obesity and diabetes
- A nuclear Iran
- An aging North Korean nutcake-with-nukes
- Growing energy crisis
- Growing immigration crisis
- Aging of American workforce
- Decline of U.S. Dollar
Ominous, like an approaching black rain cloud, don’t you think?
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4 responses so far ↓
1 10 Top Tax Stories of the Decade and 4 of My Own // Dec 31, 2009 at 11:38 am
[...] ← Tax on Cadillac Plans not Really a Tax, Says MIT Economist The Ominous Aughts [...]
2 Nataiie // Jan 4, 2010 at 6:53 am
Yes, I do think! It’s depressing and frightening, but what can we honestly do about it?
3 Peter // Jan 4, 2010 at 10:41 am
Natalie,
Vote!
4 Kelly // Jan 4, 2010 at 3:44 pm
I would add to the list a President and Congress incapable of crafting policies to tackle these issues.
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