25 reasons to vote in 2008...

1. U.S. dollar meltdown
Clues: Foreign currencies replacing dollar as reserve currency. Buffett's hedging too.
 
2. Housing-credit meltdown
Clues: Subprimes triggered $400 billion in write-offs; global estimate is $1.3 trillion.

3. Energy and oil bubble
Clues: Gas $5 a gallon. Crude up, up, up. Ethanol and OPEC idiocy. Automakers failing.

4. Foreign trade deficits
Clues: Monthly deficits top $70 billion. Selling equities, foreigners own $15 trillion.

5. Federal budget deficits
Clues: Federal debt now $9 trillion; add another $400 billion federal deficit this year.

6. Social Security deficit
Clues: $60 trillion to $75 trillion. Cut benefits or raise taxes. Inertia if gutless politicians.

7. Health-care crisis
Clues: Medicare losses. 47 million uninsured. Big Pharma pockets big bucks.

8. Corporate pensions underfunded
Clues: Airlines, auto, other blue chips in hock deep, defaulting to taxpayers.

9. Local government pensions deficits
Clues: $500 billion mess draining local taxpayers, deepening recession woes.

10. Personal savings meltdown
Clues: Consumption addicts. Zero savings rate. Too little for retirement.