Hey Hydro we haven't spoken in a while check out CVCP Cavico if you like Vietnam. And if you like heartache! We are simply shifting jobs to higher paying professions. This quote has one little error it should read. We are simply shifting jobs to lower paying professions. Part of being a service economy is paying lots of retail and food serving wages, when you lose manufacturing you lose the higher paying jobs and the benefits. That's why housing remains so important and on everyone's radar the builders, the craftsmen, the plumbers, the electrical, the pool diggers, the landscaping they all take in some of the highest wages in that America has to offer at the moment.
http://www.madeinusa.com/index.shtml Why not make a little effort in your spending go a long way at home. Enjoy.
Or the history: Rome collapsed, from many internal problems. Was occupied by invadors* from less than 5% of the territory it dominated. I expect the collapse, but not the occupation, is US fate, as history seldom repeats exactly. ------------------------- *before that happened Its own army, under Caesar took charge, destroying their version of democracy. You are correct US army is by far world's most powerful. If they feel the need to straighten out the mess Washington has made they can do it more quickly than Ceasar did - a few Tomahawks well placed in DC and they are in charge. - I do not see this aspect of history repeating, but mention it to show that a strong army is not any guarantee of the government you want, especially if economic collapse has made it impossible to pay the soldiers, buy the generals new toys, etc.
I agree with your post. It's a well known fact that U.S. schools have failed and will continue to produce non-competitive workers who will no doubt be outdone by someone in Asia who's very life depends on how fast he can make shoes. Our culture has stressed that it's not cool to be smart. That it's geeky to be intelligent. How sad. It's this same attitude of junk tv, fast food, and consumerism that is taking us on the confortable road to ruin. I think Science and Technology need to be stressed at the earliest. However there is too much freedom in U.S. for most to care about these matters. They leave it to the poloticos in DC to worry about it however, they are too worried about which corporation has donated the most of which K Street lobbyist has given them the best steak. The answer begins at home.
I'm thinking about adding a pool once the ground thaws in the spring, can you give me the contact information for your offshore pool digger? Oh wait, that whole global warming thing means my midwest earth isn't frozen and I could put your offshore pool digger to work now! Sweet, I love global warming! TIA PS - How long does it take to swim the Pacific from India...I need a quick turn around on this job!
Here's the acid test: if you believe so strongly that China will take over the world, would you buy a basket of ETF's that invests in China or in ETF's that are based in the USA assuming you had to hold onto it for 30 years? Most, I would guess, on this thread would not actually believe in China enough to put their money where their mouth was given the choice...
free markets will always win, always! Chinese don't have not adjusted their currency accordingly, or let market dominate. They will soon be suffering like the asian contagion of 97 or the mexican meltdown of 94. Both followed by good times for us. Do you remember?