tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20417751.post7841283988791968832..comments2024-01-22T18:22:29.391-08:00Comments on hedera's corner: A Good Dealhederahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01696592301686568456noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20417751.post-58492822416771915692011-12-02T12:47:01.671-08:002011-12-02T12:47:01.671-08:00Dear K: Two typos--"now matter how much"...Dear K: Two typos--"now matter how much" and "It wasn't widely understand it then, either" but thanks so much for this opinion piece, which, despite its exaggerations, contains several grains of truth.<br /><br />China now exerts a powerful force over our government. This is a new situation for America, and Americans, who once dominated the rest of the world through its/their economy and military. It's a drag being told what to do. During the Clinton Administration, there were huge outright purchases of influence by Chinese proxies in Washington. The Chinese basically "own" Wal-Mart, for instance, because the vast majority of goods sold there originate in China. <br /><br />For decades, America acquired raw materials abroad, and manufactured things here. Post-colonial policies designed to raise the standard of living abroad mostly didn't work, until China reared its ugly head, and smart entrepeneurs figured out how to use "globalization" policies to exploit national economies (and work-forces) by pitting them against one another. <br /><br />Americans are just now beginning to wake up to what this "globalization" actually means. It doesn't mean a rising sea-level raises all the boats. It means America begins to resemble Brazil. Concentration of capital in the top 1-3% of the population, suppression of all kinds of political dissent (in Washington, by lobbyists), people in authority being bought off, sloughing off of social obligation and responsibility in the name of "freedom" etc. <br /><br />But the American economy only actually thrived when lots of people in the middle (the Middle Class) had money to spend, and good things to buy. <br /><br />The current paradigm will, as you point out, lead to a lowering of standard of living for everyone. <br /><br />And this is only one aspect of our corrupt relationship with Mexico, which leads to so much refugee migration. The "globalization" advocates want us to think this is wonderful--open up our borders. But exploiting people isn't confined to Third World countries. Mexicans coming here want higher wages and higher standard of living. But American companies will exploit them wherever they can, whether that's in Juarez or Chicago. Eventually, if you keep pushing down wages and shoving people around, everyone loses. We're seeing the concrete consequences of the de-capitalization of America right now, in lower state and federal revenues. The problem isn't "overspending"--the Republican mantra--but declining overall wealth as a country. We've given away our manufacturing base, and that's resulting in less wealth for everyone (except the top 1-3% who can afford to leverage their excess capital).<br /><br />It's ugly, and getting uglier.Curtis Favillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06213075853354387634noreply@blogger.com