Nicely said, Wesley. I agree things might be better if we had a different sense from governement, though Canadian and other foreign listed mining stocks are hurting too. That is not to say there is not a relationship.

We in the so-called advanced economies, I believe, are generally taking the wrong tack toward allowing the system to create well paying new jobs, especially among our supposed free market ecomomies.

For instance, as the US entered the Financial Crisis, we should have lower taxes on small businesses, re-imposed the investment tax credit, and eliminated or reduced capital gains taxes. Eventually, then, what income would have been lost to government in the short term would soon be made up by having a more vibrant, sustainable economy, one less dependent on smoke and mirrors to make itself look good.