Five Short Blasts

Why is it that, in spite of thousands of economists hard at work in the public and private sector, our national debt is skyrocketing at the same time that Americans find their wages, benefits and net worth mired in a three-decades-long decline? Is it possible that the economists are missing something? Indeed they are - something extremely subtle but very powerful. In "Five Short Blasts" (the title is derived from the nautical warning signal for an imminent danger of collision), the author advances a brand new economic theory and warns of a collision between a population density-induced decline in per capita consumption and rising productivity. The book is written in easy-to-understand terms and is aimed at anyone who is looking for new ideas and real answers to our economic malaise. This new theory is supported by copious personal consumption data from around the world and by U.S. trade policy, and is presented in clear, graphical format. The author explores the implications for U.S. trade policy and population management and offers solutions that are sure to be controversial.