Tom Friedman: "Where and How Our Economy Went Wrong, and How to Right It"

We got seduced by the riches and rewards of financial engineering. Too little economic growth, too much debt, and a Wall Street risk/gambling/culture gone crazy. Together, these things culminated in a global financial crisis. As we slipped way down in global rankings, we assumed that our traditional global edge in entrepreneurship and innovation could compensate for our declines in educational attainment. Big mistake.