For many years, the US has lived beyond its means: a household saving rate close to zero and investment financed solely with foreign funds. The US current account deficit, which is identical to net capital imports, grew steadily to an annual $811 billion in 2006, or 6% of GDP – by far the largest since the Great Depression.
多年来，美国一直是入不敷出。家庭储蓄率接近零，而且投资全部由外资提供。美国的经常项目赤字与资本净流入相等，在2006年稳步增长到每年八千一百一十亿美元，相当于GDP的6%，这是经济大萧条以来最大的。美国年复一年地向国外出售其资产，在国内享受高端生活。现在不会再这样了。世界已经觉醒了。