THE USA IS GETTING A HEALTHY DOSE OF HUMBLING REALITY.

It is amazing how when you expect less... you get less.  Lowered expectations of investors is the only logical explanation for the current bull market, cyclical or secular.  Earnings across the board are 45 - 50% lower than this time last year and yet the DJIA is up nearly 300 points compared to this time last year (10/08/08 open 9,437, today's open 9,728).  It would seem, brokers are doing a good job convincing investors that there is still hope in the long-term play.  That it will net them a positive result but they must be willing to make a whole lot less on their money today.  On the other hand, if the compounding negative economic factors of home foreclosures and unemployment continue to weigh down the recovery, we could see a double dip and a huge loss, both short and long term, for all those investors.

Even if the long-term play does work and we hope for the sake of the country it does, the short-term has definitely been effected.  The US is no longer the global financial leader.

> US Has Lost Its Position As Top Financial Center: Roubini

If this is the case, why do US stocks continue to rise?

> Charts: Dollar to Tank 10%; Gold, Stocks Going Higher

Here is a quick video update on what the Government is doing about foreclosures:

> Geithner: Too Many Families at Risk of Losing Home

It would also seem that the Government is also forcing us to lower our expectations and thus lower our standard of living:

> Weak-Dollar Threat to Prosperity

At 11:30am EST stocks are still on the rise.