How can we survive this?  A lot of you are upset with me for being honest about where I see America headed.  I’ve never been one to mince words, and after 42 years in this business, why start now with just seven shows to go?  The truth is that I believe America is on the decline and that our best days are behind us.  Here are a few reasons as to why …

• The publicly held federal debt will exceed 100 percent of GDP in 2024. (Source)

• Between 1988 and 2011, the amount of the U.S. population that receives assistance from the federal government grew by 62 percent. That means that more than 41 percent of the U.S. population is enrolled in at least one federal assistance program.  When the percentage of those living in a household where at least one person is subsidized is calculated, the number tops 49 percent. (Source)

• It takes U.S. taxpayers more than 6.1 billion hours to complete all the filings required by the tax system, making tax compliance “one of the largest industries in the United States.” That is the equivalent of more than 3 million full-time employees. (Source)

• The United States, long considered the standard bearer for economic freedom among large industrial nations, has experienced a substantial decline in economic freedom during the past decade. From 1980 to 2000, the United States was generally rated the third freest economy in the world … The chain-linked ranking of the United States has fallen precipitously from second in 2000 to eighth in 2005 and 19th in 2010 (unadjusted ranking of 18th). (Source)

• An electorate ignorant enough to re-elect Barack Obama

If you can read those and then honestly tell me that we can overcome this, then I want to know who is going to do it and how it is going to be done.  Can’t think of anything or anyone, can you?