... free trade agreements don't work for america because America doesn't have a manufacturing-based economy anymore. What are you going to export? That doesn't necessarily disagree with deerhunter's point, but I don't think government regulation is the issue.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but the way I've seen it is that when the US signs onto a free trade agreement, it's about opening up markets for US companies to go in and work in that country and for the easier import of goods into the US. Since labour is way cheaper in those markets, the manufacturing jobs go there and Americans are able to end up with cheaper products on their shelves. This spurs growth through consumption, which is obviously not sustainable.

So long as the US remains a consumer-focused economy with a growing class divide, free trade agreements are just going to keep making that divide grow. The two areas where the US is still ahead of most of the world is information technology -- despite all those outsourcing worries of the early 2000s -- and military technology. Once the information technology advantage is gone, the house of cards will continue to collapse. That leaves them with a great military but not a lot else... I think that's the same kind of situation that happened with Japan in the 1930's.

Anyway, the way to fix the economy is simple: actually have a government that works and can think long term, rather than nearly paralyzing the country/economy over every piece of legislation that may or may not make it to the house/senate floor. The American political system, while great in the 18th century and advantageous through the 19th and to some degrees the 20th century, is not suited to the fast-paced world of today.

It's a corrupt system which tries to sell itself as representative of the people. It's been watered down by special interests, lobbyists and fear mongers over the last 50-60 years, making your tax, economic and social policies look like a package of swiss cheese. No one wants to govern, just maintain power. That's no way to run a country, let alone "the best country on earth".