Current market trends indicate that a recession is likely to happen within the next two years, asserts Lawrence H. Summers of The Washington Post. From local factors like credit slowly becoming harder to get and investment waning, to foreign ones like the Chinese economy slowing and Europe mired in uncertainty, the US will be negatively affected. Meanwhile, protectionist ideals and high debt risk stifling much-needed growth. Unless there are major changes in economic policy, the US is more likely than not going to see an economic downturn. Problems in Europe and China will only multiply this pain.