Roughly speaking, the mess we are in is the worst since 17th century financial collapse. Comparisons with the 1930’s are ludicrous. We’ve gone far beyond that. And, alas, the courage and political will to recognize the mess and act wisely to reverse gears, is absent in U.S. leadership, where the problems were hatched and where the rot is by far the deepest.- Harry Schultz, in his last newsletter to his subscribers before he retired last week.