Globalization is a misnomer

[Odin2005]

What is really happening is a reversal of roles. 150 years ago the West vampirized Asia, now Asia is starting to vampirize us. Neither protectionism, "Fair Trade" or free trade will help us, we are fucked no matter what. The West has lost it's economic dynamism and creativity (look at GM, still focusing on SUV's even though it's killing the business), Asia is getting the upper edge.

[Deja Q]

1. There's always a positive way out of any situation.

The question is, will people think about it?

[patrice]

2. Totally.

Bush's War, at the behest of PNAC, is about the economic rise of China.

[swag]

3. I guess I'm glad I drink too much, then.

[justice1]

4. We are to blame for our own demise

I have no ill will to wards countries like China, Mexico and India. Leaders are supposed to do what they can to improve the economy of their nation.

It's a shame we don't have politicians that are willing to do the same for us.

[sadiesworld]

5. self-delete

[dcfirefighter]

6. We're too busy trying to make money

that we fail to make anything useful. Our best & brightest are attracted Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate instead of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

We want to get paid for 'owning' something rather than building or making something. Unfortunately, most of the FIRE industry is a pyramid scheme - always looking for a 'greater sucker' to buy at ever-increasing prices, without concurrent increases in productivity.

Modern Capitalism is an open loop wealth transfer from the poor to the rich. Modern Socialism is a poor solution, requiring protection, causing inefficiency, and requiring a strong (and easily corrupted) central planning / government.

More than anything else, this country needs to put everybody to work. Not by protecting industries, not by government spending, and not by artificial subsidies. This country needs to put everybody to work by eliminating every direct and indirect tax on working. This country needs to end the 'ownership society' by pushing those taxes onto ownership. We need to end corporate welfare. We need to build the infrastructure for the post fossil fuel / post automobile world.

If everyone is working, we'd WANT to be able to buy cheap goods from China and Mexico.