U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade • Hacker News Board

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#21

Post by geofft » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:10 PM UTC

Is it just me or has the HN front page been more overtly political in the last few days? This is #1, some fear-mongering about China from Bloomberg is #2 (as if we forgot their technical fear-mongering about China the other day), and both of the stories are mainstream news (explicitly discouraged in the Guidelines) and have no particular "hacker" angle, except insofar as many hackers participate in the world economy just as many normies do. Earlier there was an NYT opinion piece from a sad conservative college professor (flagged), and before that a page from GOPUSA.com calling an internal Google presentation "the end of free speech as we know it" (flagkilled).

How is this stuff getting upvoted?

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#22

Post by paulpauper » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:11 PM UTC

kevmo wrote: post #9

Meanwhile, household debt is at it's all-time high, $13.3 trillion... surpassing its previous peak in 2008. https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc.html This article seems like fluff/propaganda.

when ppl think of household debt, they think big screen TVs and other discretionary items, but it's actually mostly mortgages and student loans https://www.valuewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/US-Hous...

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#23

Post by nostromo » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:12 PM UTC

geofft wrote: post #21

Is it just me or has the HN front page been more overtly political in the last few days? This is #1, some fear-mongering about China from Bloomberg is #2 (as if we forgot their technical fear-mongering about China the other day), and both of the stories are mainstream news (explicitly discouraged in the Guidelines) and have no particular "hacker" angle, except insofar as many hackers participate in the world economy…

This is a report on the competitiveness of the US economy. Seems pretty very relevant to a group of entrepreneurs.

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#24

Post by arama471 » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:14 PM UTC

geofft wrote: post #21

Is it just me or has the HN front page been more overtly political in the last few days? This is #1, some fear-mongering about China from Bloomberg is #2 (as if we forgot their technical fear-mongering about China the other day), and both of the stories are mainstream news (explicitly discouraged in the Guidelines) and have no particular "hacker" angle, except insofar as many hackers participate in the world economy…

Isn't the Bloomberg thing literally about hacking? Or are you talking about a different China Bloomberg article than I am

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#25

Post by TheCoelacanth » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:14 PM UTC

paulpauper wrote: post #12

I think it has been competitive for a lot longer than that. Despite all the bad news about partisanship, Trump, wealth inequality, there is a lot of innovation in the US and intellectual output from research universities and the private sector. It's why the rich Chinese keep coming here and keep buying up the real estate and applying to the most prestigious of universities. There's more good news than bad even though…

It moved up from #2 last year. A less sensational headline would be something like "A bunch of countries with approximately equal competitiveness scores had their scores change by approximately 1%".

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#26

Post by erichocean » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:15 PM UTC

nathantotten wrote: post #15

threeseed wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is news about this today. McConnell is demanding that the Democrats work with Republicans to cut entitlement programs. Even though they control all three branches and are the ones who passed the very expensive tax cuts.

This was by design. Reduce income and leave no choice but cut spending.

[DELETED]

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#27

Post by ta2987 » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:15 PM UTC

HN: no politics allowed, except when they are.

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#28

Post by jackconnor » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:15 PM UTC

geofft wrote: post #21

Is it just me or has the HN front page been more overtly political in the last few days? This is #1, some fear-mongering about China from Bloomberg is #2 (as if we forgot their technical fear-mongering about China the other day), and both of the stories are mainstream news (explicitly discouraged in the Guidelines) and have no particular "hacker" angle, except insofar as many hackers participate in the world economy…

Yea I've noticed that too, especially the number of bogus Bloomberg articles. They get upvoted because people don't know the guidelines and just vote on stuff they find interesting, so perhaps it's a moderator who should be trimming the feed a little more closely?

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#29

Post by endorphone » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:16 PM UTC

sparkling wrote: post #6

threeseed wrote: post #5

That economic growth came at a pretty severe cost though. The budget deficit blew out by 17% in 2018 as a result of the tax cuts.

Look at relative debt to GDP ratio rather than absolute numbers.

It's approaching 100%. As for the deficit, it's at 4% and rising to 4.7% in 2019.

During full employment. During what can reasonably be called boomed times. Historic deficits.

This isn't normal.

Re: U.S. Is World’s Most Competitive Economy for First Time in a Decade

#30

Post by jackconnor » Tue, Oct 16, 2018, 11:17 PM UTC

arama471 wrote: post #24

geofft wrote: post #21

Is it just me or has the HN front page been more overtly political in the last few days? This is #1, some fear-mongering about China from Bloomberg is #2 (as if we forgot their technical fear-mongering about China the other day), and both of the stories are mainstream news (explicitly discouraged in the Guidelines) and have no particular "hacker" angle, except insofar as many hackers participate in the world economy…

Isn't the Bloomberg thing literally about hacking? Or are you talking about a different China Bloomberg article than I am

Well, big argument about this was as it's technically "about" hacking, it just seems that they made most of it up. It is definitely China fear-mongering, though, so I'd say you're both right.