Reply #3: notes [View All]

SS is toast. Most pension funds and IRA's will be toast unless stocks can contiunue to rise in value far in excess of historic trend.

It is possible thay can as the full weight of the US Government and the quasi governmental Federal Reserve are willing to go to any length to see that stocks don't fall, including direct intervention in the markets. Yes, the stock market is now a socialized institution. This has broad political support. Stocks are the new best money and corporations are superceding government so certainly seen in that light stocks might make possible the confortable middle class retiernment envisioned by so many boomer during the next 2 decades.

They have to. The vast majority of our 'savings' are in stocks and corprate paper (bonds etc). Anyone with significant 'savings' in stocks will tend to support ANYTHING which will insure stock values. If that requriers the end of democracy and freedom as we know it, so be it. IF the retirement savings of boomers are lost in a stock market maliase lasting a long time then the entire foundation of our political economy and culture will shatter. So as I say, stocks have to keep rising, there is no alternative.