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10 Companies That Will Save The American Economy: 24/7 Wall Street

First Posted: 04/04/11 01:27 PM ET   Updated: 06/04/11 06:12 AM ET

By 24/7 Wall Street: America lost its lead as the world's top manufacturer to China. That is in part the basis of the argument that China's Gross Domestic Product will pass America's sometime before the middle of the century. China's rising population will continue to push its GDP growth higher. The same thing happened to the US from 1950 until 2000.

Some experts on the global economy argue that the demise of US industry will accelerate as unemployment remains high and the government wrestles with its budgetary problems. It would be a mistake, however, to assume that the US cannot keep its position as the world's leading economy because some of its largest companies and their industries completely control many of the business sectors most critical to the future of global economic growth.

24/7 Wall St. looked at industries in which US corporations are leaders and chose those that are most likely to develop products and services which will allow global GDP growth to continue. American companies not only control these industries now, but they also will control them for some time because of their large leads in research and development.

The critical global needs of the 21st Century that 24/7 Wall St. reviewed were: the ability to organize and control information, the ability to cure disease, the ability to control the efficient use and distribution of natural resources, the ability to educate broad groups of people and the ability to transport people and cargo.

The American companies that are the leaders in providing solutions for each of these needs are often without parallel outside the US. If they do have competition, it is rare and usually a fraction of their size. Many of the largest and most well-known corporations are not on this list. Apple is not because there is nothing that it makes that cannot be replicated in a number of other countries and by other firms. GM is not one the list because auto manufacturing is a nearly a commodity business. Exxon Mobil is not on the list because a number of other companies, such as PetroChina and BP, have assets nearly as large and similar expertise. AT&T is not on the list because there are a number of telecommunications companies just as large in Europe and Asia. They have the advantage of location, but no company has a technology that is more advanced than any other. Wal-Mart is not on the list because there are scores of other smaller retailers which do most of what Wal-Mart does.

24/7 Wall St. eventually identified 10 companies. The business world and economy could not operate as they do without them and this will probably be more the case in the future. America's advantages due to these firms could falter if their ability to innovate stalls. Many experts have argued that America must have a better education system to maintain and expand its business advantages. People who worry about intellectual property theft and the eventual decline of America's economic might may also be right. But, for now, as these companies exist today along with the global customers they serve, each has a substantial lead in a large and critical industry.

Below is a list of ten companies essential to the success of the American economy. Check out 24/7 Wall Street for more information.

10. Monsanto
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2008 Revenue: $11.365 Billion
Number of Employees: 21,700
Market Cap: $37.85 Billion

Most of the agricultural technology industry is based on the production of pesticides and herbicides. Monsanto,however, is at the cutting edge of dozens of crucial agriculture sectors, including genetically modified seeds and animal growth hormones. Despite a large amount of negative press and objections from environmental groups, the fact remains that as the global population continues to grow exponentially, food scarcity will increasingly become an issue. Monsanto's technology, which seeks to maximize crop yields, is a crucial commodity, and that will only increase over time.
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By 24/7 Wall Street: America lost its lead as the world's top manufacturer to China. That is in part the basis of the argument that China's Gross Domestic Product will pass America's sometime before t...
By 24/7 Wall Street: America lost its lead as the world's top manufacturer to China. That is in part the basis of the argument that China's Gross Domestic Product will pass America's sometime before t...
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06:57 PM on 05/13/2011
We are in trouble if we think Cisco will help our economy. Go to any Cisco building in Silicon Valley (and there are many) and ask how many people are even residents in this country, nevermind citizens. Cisco is one of the worse offenders hiring a majority of visa holders brought in every 6 months from India via Satyam, Wipro, and Infosys. They could hire/contract here, but Cisco would rather hire the cheapest labor they can ship in from other countries. The answer to where are the jobs, is they are here held by visa holders, no Americans need apply.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Dave Harpe
Was young, now old.
06:39 PM on 05/11/2011
If people would stop eating animal products, we would be overflowing with food and not need Monsanto at all.
11:12 AM on 05/11/2011
"The company's software is at the heart of most of the world's computers." More accurately and more relative this statement should read - The company's software is at the heart of a rapidly declining number of the world's computers.
07:50 PM on 05/06/2011
There obviously haven't watched Food Inc. What a croc. This is the type of company that is ruining things, not helping.
07:38 PM on 05/05/2011
THE BEST NEWS IS THAT THEY ALL PAID ZERO"""0""" TAXES..!!

WHILE OUR BUTTS ARE GOING DOWN THE DRAIN!! FULL STOP!!

GE >>>>ALL OF THEM!!.....................!!

MONSANTO>???
W
T
F??? .... I'D RATHER EAT CYINAIDE!! POISON!!

BILL GATES /MICRO...CREEP!!
W
T
F????

HE OPENLY !!! SUPPORTS EUGENICS!!!

THE CULLING/REDUCTION OF THE EARTHS POPULATIONS!!

FROM PRESENT 7 BILLOIN TO 2 BILLION BY MOTHER-CIDE AND INFANT CIDE!! AND MANY OTHER MEANS...

DONT BELEIVE ME !! >>>THEN SEARCH>> EUGENICS AND BILL GATES !!

AND THEN YOU WILL SH__IT!! ...BELEIVE ME YOU WILL!! BE TOTALLY DISCUSSTED!!

THE TOP WORLD EUGENICISTS:.............!!!>>> SERIOUSLY>>>>>>!!

BILL GATES,,

GEO SOROS....

TED TURNER,....

THE ROCKAFELLERS...!! WHO BY THE WAY...!!

TAUGHT EUGENICS TO HEIR HITLERS MAN...HEIMLER!!

AND OPENELY AND FULLY SUPPORTED AND IMPLEMENTED THE EUGENICS PROGRAMS FOR THE NAZI PURIFACATION OF GERMANY.. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENMTED!! THE LAST 100 YEARS!! heres the link..for all USA EUGENICS LABS AND OFFICES.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ty0pA2L2ArcJ:hnn.us/articles/1796.html+ROCkefellers+eugenics+calif&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a&source=www.google.com
11:59 AM on 05/11/2011
Please control your hysteria. Eugenics - the study of methods of improving the quality of the human race, esp by selective breeding. You might want to read up on "eugenics" with a broader, less sensational and more scientific based set of sources. Eugenics doesn't have to be all negative - i.e. Hitler.

It's a fact we all practice eugenics by selecting mates with what we consider the most desirable and healthy features - mostly at a sub-conscious level - but it's still selective breeding to produce more healthy and better off spring - basic eugenics. Don't lump it with extreme forms of negative eugenics trying to develop a superior race by eliminating others in order to "rule the world." If we (everyone) and our offspring all benefit equally selecting positive qualities in our mates - how is that bad. It's what brought our species out of the trees, off the savannas, out of the caves and into modern technology. You're lumping the worst kind of racism with a process that can be very broadly and benevolently defined just as well negatively.
11:00 AM on 05/12/2011
The best part is they have BO help carrying the torch of maggie sanger for weed control.... it's amazing and well done.

Mason is all fun a games,
01:52 PM on 05/04/2011
Monsanto? Wow. Will this brainwashing really work?
Go to Organics Consumers to support truth in labeling and fight Monsanto. MIllions Against Monsanto groups are available in your area through facebook. Do not be timid. This is a serious state of affairs.
07:14 PM on 04/28/2011
I read a great article "The Age of China Nears--U.S. Economy will be surpassed by China in 5 years." check it out...

http://ajarnmike.blogspot.com/2011/04/age-of-china-nears-us-economy-will-be.html
11:40 AM on 05/11/2011
Really? The article is extremely short sighted. Who will be China be selling their products to? China's economy only grows if it exports and it can't export to countries who are broke. The majority of China's expert go to the US and the EU. Without prosperous export buyers China will turn back inward as it has for the last 1000 years and consume itself. We either have a level global field that we can all market our most competitive skills into, or the the whole structure collapses back to the next level of sustainability - which it may anyway. When oil runs out that will be about 1800 level of populations. That regression is going to be incredibly painful for developed countries that have the least diversified and self-sufficient manufacturing base for critical commodities like food, shelter and fuel.
06:45 PM on 04/26/2011
Monsanto? whose trying to produce killer seeds that don't reproduce forcing you to buy seeds every year & use more & more bug killer and fertilizers or their plants don't produce? They could have chosen to go green collecting seeds world wide for grow-ability.

Lockheed Martin? whose machines are used to slaughter indiscriminately & from a distance? They could have chosen to build flying hospitals & food delivery services using alternative fuels or helped explore the Moon & Mars.

Pfizer? who makes drugs with aftereffects worse than "the cure" not to mention their long record in bio-weapons. Instead they test them on those who can't speak out for themselves. They could have used their labs to better life.

GE? Japanese nuclear power plant ring a bell? Why didn't they focus on solar, wind, tidal, bio, & other alternatives?

These companies chose greed. Who are they saving? Most of the jobs they create are overseas. How many have they destroyed? How many more will they destroy for their god - excess profit? They may be on your list, but they are not on mine.
11:02 AM on 05/12/2011
The article forgot one thing they are buddies of barak and get waivers from him too.
11:41 AM on 05/14/2011
Time to call for Obama's impeachment and to recall senators and representative that do not conform to the will of the people! Eliminate lobbying and campaign contribution by corporations. We the people, need to start exercising are rights and power!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
darma2u
10:17 PM on 04/18/2011
Seeing "Monsanto" on this list makes me want to run in the opposite direction..."negative press", I haven't heard anything good about Monsanto other that what their Lobbyist grind out. As for "food scarcity will increasingly become an issue" from my perspective Monsanto has done everything it can to contribute to this issue from its promotion of "Round-up", control of seeds and genetic changes to seeds to limit the options: What happens when a 'blight' comes along and the Only seeds available are Monsanto and that’s’ what the 'bight' attacks? What about Monsanto’s involvement with rounding up of genetically different seeds from the ‘seed savers’ of Iraq and then limiting the seeds available to those same farmers? Why doesn't the EU allow Monsanto there? How has Monsanto gone after farmers in Canada and Mexico and driven them into bankruptcy with law suites? What about the on going revolving door between employees of Monsanto and the Federal Agriculture Department? Wish I knew as much about these other companies but I don’t.. so being on the same list as Monsanto ..well what do they say about being known by the ‘company’ you keep…or birds of a feather…the only economy Monsanto will help is its’ own.
09:05 AM on 04/16/2011
Not.
07:15 PM on 04/14/2011
And, given the fact that a vast majority of inhabitants of the U.S. of A. are pretty much unconscious of the rest of the world, here's a little lesson on why you get called 'Septic'.
In certain parts of the English speaking world they have something called rhyming slang.
Americans were named 'Yank' which was shortened from 'Yankee'.
Rhyming slang boffins then came up with 'Septic Tank' (which as you could possibly see rhymes with 'Yank') to mean 'Yank' to mean 'American' ...
'Septic Tank' gets shortened to 'Septic'.

All those 'companies' listed by HP to save the economy and thus the world ...

Well ... we all know what septic tanks are full of ... don't we?
05:58 PM on 04/14/2011
Monsanto? You MUST be joking! You are trying to tell me that a company - a MONOPOLY - that goes around victimizing farmers and associated businesses who do not want to play their game until they either join up or are broken down is going to be a 'savior' of the US economy???
That's just typical of the Septic mindset - bloody typical! The same mindset that thinks it is OK to give the rich tax cuts while hammering the poor and underprivileged. The same bloody short sighted philosophy of greed that has resulted in unprecedented rises in world food prices that have directly led to revolution in the Middle East.
Mark my words you stupid, myopic, greedy Septics ... keep going the way you are and you will trigger your own revolution in your own country!
Monsanto is going to save the world?!? HA! For whom?
12:08 AM on 04/14/2011
Boycott Monsanto stock, folks. It's how apartheit (sp?) was stopped in South Africa.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
MikeyJaii
Socialism.
04:43 PM on 04/10/2011
They won't save crap.
06:49 PM on 04/07/2011
monsanto...... WHAT? You had better do a whole lot more research before you post anything like this again. .I have read about all the harm monsanto has caused, all the hardship they have caused. As farmer, and a health conscious person this company scares me more than anything else on earth.