It was not my intention to hide the date of the message. Anyone semiconscious with an internet connection can find that out. If you are fully conscious it should be food for thought.
Yes, Vietnam is not a good example of US military might. We don't even use a fraction of our available capabilities. In Vietnam, we were unwilling to bomb the place to smithereens--we employ more surgical interventions, out of humanitarian concerns. You may be sure that we could destroy anyplace if we wanted to. However, we haven't done stuff like that since Tokyo and Dresden and Hiroshima, and I don't think we should do those cataclysmic things ever again. I'm just pointing out that US military might is not that relevant, because we don't even really use it, except as a deterrent. What has been working for us in terms of having some control over the shit going on in this world is economic sanctions (as in Russia, Iran, and North Korea). Stupid dictators start talking to you when you withhold money from them. We would be better off developing our economic capacity than our military strength. It would give us even more leverage in the world. Money is how the world works. Money is a good thing: it builds things. Violence just tears things down, necessitating more money to fix them again... However, we don't seem to want to invest in improving our educational and health care systems, which are part of what keep the poor people poor in the US. I don't find poverty that concerning if there's a way out of it, with some human effort. But it's becoming harder to get out of such situations, especially for people with limited intelligence, ambition, self-regard, and knowledge about how to keep themselves healthy. Failing schools, bad parenting, lack of good examples in one's life, inadequate health care (including for mental health issues and addiction) and lack of affordable child care and transportation contribute to the difficulty of climbing out of a hole. There will always be people left behind, but we need to create some little ladders and some mentorship for those who want do to revise their lives and are willing to work at it. Instead of trying to create a larger middle and upper middle class by improving opportunity, education, and upward mobility, we have spawned a dependent underclass, a few of whom are quite dangerous. When we want intelligent people to run our businesses, we often import them from overseas. People in the US aren't getting the message that no administration can turn the clock back 50 years; twenty-first century skills are needed to get ahead in today's world.
The politicians elected recently just can't stop over spending. After all the BS to get elected they have to spend ultra big. It looks like a lost cause and the debt will never be paid off. As soon as China etc. stops buying the debt then the politicians will have to think again. So it is the fault of the electors as they elected the rascals in charge. Take more care could be relevant.
Several thoughts: 1. Cheaper to import educated folks than to educate them. 2. Immigration is self selecting, even those uneducated. Having the desire and willing to take the risk of moving away from home means in general those immigrants are more self motivated and work harder than those that left behind in their homeland. This holds true whether you are from Europe back in the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th century or the Mexicans, Africans, Asians in the 20th or 21th century. 3. When complaining about our education system, we often neglect the importance of parenting. As is, we are spending more per student than every other countries in this world. So, throwing money at the problem, getting better teachers, better facilities... won't solve it.
US would become a banana republic (with hyperinflation, currency devaluation, central government lost credibility, civil war might ensue (too many guns on the streets). or conquer Canada, then exile their president Trudeau to the island of Galapago.
If Trump insists on upping the ante on trade wars then China. EU etc. could retaliate by nationalising all US companies in China,
The US used to be respected for its principles. It was founded by principled people fleeing persecution. The only God Trump bows to is MONEY. How short sighted can you get ?
right, and we can retaliate by sending all the rich people's kids from China to a prison camp. there is no contest here. listen to the market.. Shanghai is down 4% since the tariff announcement.. and EEM is down in sympathy.... meantime IWM and QQQ making new highs. and Trump bows to the money god? great, I want someone like this to be my president.