Why is the USA Screwed -- Maybe Forever?

The historical precedent here is apt. The true comparison is the Roman Empire. We're more like them than people realize. I wrote about it in my blog post titled "Distractions" back before the 2004 election touching on many on the same themes that Frank shares with us here. Indeed, it is and has been my belief that this cultural warfare whether waged from the left or from the right is what distracts us from being a great nation like we used to be.



Are we an empire in decline? All the signs certainly point that way, and more and more commentators are starting to believe in what has been proposed in books and articles for some years now. I wonder if even with Obama's leadership this course we're one can be corrected. In other words, I am not as optimistic as Mr. Schaeffer appears to be.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

China baffles world with mystery bomber

Don't think for a minute that we're not in another 'Cold War' this time with China.

Am I afraid of China? Yes, yes, I am.

Do I hate China? No. They are an old, old civilization. What they have accomplished in the last 4,000 years has not been matched by very many cultures.

But keep these facts in mind before you read this article: 'China baffles world with mystery bomber'

1) Most of the companies I used to work for, have been sold to Chinese companies, with the attendant manufacturing transferred to China. Does that mean, they stole my job? Am I mad at the Chinese worker? No, but I am mad at the "Wealth" and "Power" hungry American CEO who sold out.

2) Most of the stuff you buy at Wal-Mart is made in China a lot cheaper that it can be made in the United States or anywhere else for that matter. People flock to Wal-Mart for these discounted prices. Hell! I am one of them, BECAUSE, I can't afford higher prices. BUT, is that a good thing for America (US)? If we build NOTHING, and we only consume the world's resources, don't we become dependant on the World at Large.

3) 'Marketplace' from American Public Media, did a whole two week series from China a couple of years back, touting all the economic improvements and jumps forward of the Chinese miracle. Yeah, Chinese miracle performed on American middle class dollars. And once the miracle is finished, and the dollar is worthless, What will China do?

4) China still has the world's largest population, even if Indian IS catching up. And what does a country like that need? RESOURCES! What has the competition for resources caused in the past? Wars!!! In a way of course, I am oversimplifying. There a lot more complicated factors involved. The optimist in the American side likes to propose that there is a rise of a middle-class in China, and the Middle-Class has always been the instigator of transformations in countries, either through revolutions or other means. But the pessimist sees over 800,000,000 working Chinese that have to have resources and food... AND THAT has to come from somewhere.

5) Throughout this 'Chinese miracle' one thing has remained a constant: China's inappropriately bad human rights record, it's abuses in Tibet (do I really need to provide you with a link to what is happening there today?) and it's political system. It's all connected. China's political system, is old style, Stalinist communist. My grandfather and my uncles fought against it. My aunt and my cousin were in communist prisons. Years of an ingrained system do not fade from power overnight. The new money of the 'Chinese Miracle' and the new technologies being procured legally and illegally are being funnelled straight into China's defense programs.

So, how long before China overcomes the USA in terms of technological superiority in the battlefield? Remember, America is no longer the World's # 1 economic power, and doesn't have the world's strongest currency. That currency is called the Euro. And the technological advantage that America enjoys comes from employing engineers who want to work in the defense industry or associated industries. But when those industries or jobs end-up going to China, where will these people work? How will the US maintain it's technology advantage?

One last point. The US is rapidly becoming a service oriented economy. Can such an economy generate enough research and development funds to keep us ahead of the Chinese? Even if we had enough available, trained engineers?

So, read the article, and ponder this:

We are in a Cold War with China. One we are rapidly losing. How long before they get ahead of us?

2010?
2020?
2030?

You make the call.....

Another good article....on Hillary's "BIG" Wins

Dr. James Zogby, had another very good argument about what Hillary's big wins means in the context of the democratic primary race. In effect and in summation, Hillary is expecting to go the National nominating convention and come from behind to overturn the WILL of the PEOPLE.

Does that sound right to you? It doesn't sound right to me either.

Another View on Hillary's unelectability

Although this is more of a problem about math, Jonathan Alter of Newsweek discusses how Hillary simply can not catch Barack Obama based on current delegate projections.

Is he right?

I will let you read the article and make your own determination, but I personally think that we're heading for an unfortunate showdown between a political "Machine" (the Hillary Clinton political Machine) and a novice Presidential Candidate who has the right ideas and the right solutions, but maybe can not overcome twenty years of two families running our country.

So, what to do? Suggestions?

Why Clinton can't win the General Election

I thank Marc Cooper for his thoughtful post following yesterday's Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island primaries. So Hillary Clinton won three primaries, but without such an overwhelming margin to get enough of the available delegates to start "eating" into Barack Obama's delegate lead. And if this trend continues, we will end in a situation where neither candidate has enough delegates before the Denver Democratic Convention -- in September no less -- rather late in the game.

Now, a lot of the pundits are already predicting that the Clinton Machine has a way to finagle the delegates and the numbers into Hillary's favor, so that Hillary ends up winning the democratic nomination. But that's just the problem--we're talking about a "Machine". And what this country needs now is not a "Machine", but a real leader -- not the same old and tired ideology, but the inspiration to change the way the political landscape operates. Since the Reagan years we have had 20 years of the same two families dominating politics in this country. Don't you think it's time for that to change?

I am not even going to start on Hillary's negatives. She has too many. But, in many of my discussions with Republicans, her negatives come to the forefront. I actually live in a Red State (yeah, a bummer, I know). Here is an interesting discussion I had recently with a female voter who voted for Obama in the primary:

"If Clinton wins the nomination, I am not going to vote in the general election in November," she said.
"Why," I asked her? "Aren't you tired of the War, and the Republicans and all the mistakes?"
"Yes, I am, but...."
"Well, what is it about Clinton, that turns you off about her? What would prevent you from voting for her in November?"
"She's married to an adulterer. I am all for forgiveness and second chances, but this man, cheated on her, and in order to save her political career and future, she stayed with him. That is the only reason she stayed with him."

And that folks describes the feelings of many Republicans that I know who live in Red States, who would be prepared to vote for a Democrat in November, but simply refuse to vote for Hillary Clinton. I know others, a lot more savvy than me have adequately described her other high negatives. And we have already seen her run a negative campaign. Is this the sort of campaigning we want? At one time, I actually believed in John McCain (oh, about eight years ago), before the George W. Bush Machine led by Karl Rove tore him down and destroyed him during primary season. It appears that John McCain has (a) learned his lessons well from eight years ago, and has adapted negative campaigning, and (b) IS NOT the same candidate he was then-- supporting all sorts of things that seem opposite to what he stood for just eight years ago.

This race then is wide open... It's wide open for someone like Barack Obama to win it. Unfortunately, the political machinery in operation today seem to have greased their wheels behind candidates that offer the wrong choices for America. I will keep supporting Obama, and I will keep hoping this primary campaign remains fair, but who knows what can happen.

Geneva 2008: Production Toyota iQ unveiled, smart in sight - Autoblog

Geneva 2008: Production Toyota iQ unveiled, smart in sight - Autoblog

Is it coming here? As gas prices continue to escalate, America's thirst for big SUV's and trucks has not subsided. If I could afford a new car, I would buy a much smaller one, but since I am currently unemployed, I barely impact the environment, heck, I am not driving at all! What I am currently driving has a V6, but is not really a gas guzzler as such.

But small cars fascinate me. For two reasons: Their form factor and and maneuverability. A lot of people complain that they can't cram their kids into the small cars and take them to soccer practice. That's balloney. Soccer (er..., futbol) moms in Europe have been doing that for ages without any difficulty. And small cars are just as safe as large cars. But how would small cars hold up in the battle against a large SUV. Well, if they are build pretty well, they should pretty well, but that is the wrong question. If everyone is driving a large SUV, then the battle is lost. But if everyone switches to a small car, then, there should be no problems.

Understand, I am no kind of environment activist, environment terrorist, or anything like that. What I am is sensible. And I look at gas prices going up and I wondering, when will people realize, there are no new oil deposits, we're running out of oil, these promised new technologies HAVE NOT materialized, Hybrids cost more to manufacture, operate and recycle than even a small car, so it is time... It is time to wake up and start living sensibly. Buy a smaller car. Buy a a four door sedan instead of an SUV. Buy a station wagon or small SUV. I lived and drove with a small hatchback for practically 12 years. I loved that car. And it got me 30 gallons to the mile. What's wrong with that?

So, Toyota, are you bringing this to the USA, and where can I get one?