The 2008 general election is not an extension of 2006; it’s a whole new ballgame and its outcome will either impede or accelerate our progress toward a more robust economy. At stake are fundamental decisions regarding entitlements, defense, immigration, regulation, the environment, and trade. Social policies including civil rights, abortion, and guns will not go away, but they will not be “center stage” in this election. What factors will determine victory or defeat? What are the implications? We’ll provide the answers.

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The government still claims that 37 million Americans live in poverty. But, what does that mean? And, what could or should be done to resolve that problem? Why do so many families go in and out of “poverty,” while others are stuck in it generation after generation? We’ll strip away the hype and reveal the reality.

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Today, agribusiness relies heavily on low-skilled immigrant labor. In some regions, and for some crops, more than 70 percent of the labor is illegal. The best estimate for the sector as a whole, year-round, is 23 percent. Suddenly cutting off this labor supply could have serious implications for agribusiness, as well as the Mexican economy. Nevertheless, more than 70 percent of Americans in recent polls say we need to control the flow of workers across the border. So what are we supposed to do? A big part of the long-term solution involves new computer-controlled equipment that can perform jobs that were once done by hand. What are the specifics? When and how might this transition take place? What are the opportunities and threats for growers and equipment manufacturers? We’ve developed a “bumper crop” of ideas for you to consider.

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What is your home likely to be worth in five to ten years? What does this imply for builders and investors? What are the implications for the economy in general? Who will be hurt the most, and who will benefit? We’ll avoid the hype and give you the straight facts.

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As the Trends editors have explained on many occasions, the largest threat facing the United States is a shortage of employees with the right skills to fully exploit our competitive advantage. To minimize the coming crisis, we have to maximize workforce participation by aging Boomers and maximize the training and development of Xers and Millennials. However, this still won’t be enough to keep the United States at the forefront of the global economy. To do that, we’ll have to continue to recruit immigrants and off-shore talent aggressively. The current haphazard management of these resources has a real downside. But, slamming the door on desperately needed talent has far greater negative implications. What can we expect? We’ll provide some important insights.

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The fact that this decade has been prosperous for Americans, and much of the rest of the world, comes as no surprise. Not only have we put in place low taxes and a manageable regulatory burden, the enormous Baby Boom generation is now at the peak of its productivity and spending power. However, as some experts see it, “the party” is about to end. If America’s Boomers follow the pattern of earlier generations, they will soon retire en masse, sharply curtail their spending, and leave a huge gap in production and consumption that the Xers won’t be able to fill. This implies that the 10 to 12 years from 2010 to 2020 or 2022 will be economically stagnant. So, what can we expect? What sorts of strategies make sense? We’ll sketch out the answers for you.

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Nearly everywhere in the world, capitalism is taking over and wealth is growing. What does this mean for the new rich, the old rich, and everybody else? We’ll fill you in.

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