I hate to rain on your party... but the U.S economy isn't as bad as the news portrays it IMO. The Euro and GBP have dropped pretty hard (within the passed year or so) compared to the USD.. if you guys remember a few months back, the CAD was a tiny bit over the USD (which I have never heard of before in my life), and now the USD is back to normal compared to it...
We may be in a recession, but our currency in FOREX and stocks is part of international trade.. if we get hit hard, in return, foreign markets will get hit hard. I think it's a lil' bit of a recession for the whole world, but I don't think it's the end of the world.
Maybe I'm a bit out of place speaking here.. as I am only 18, but this is how I see it.