http://www.newsweek.com/id/222836/page/1
I'd really like to hear some feedback on this article if you have the time. It's well worth the read.
I'd really like to hear some feedback on this article if you have the time. It's well worth the read.
It's not a surprise to me, really. We took the results of WWI and WWII as an indicator of our own unique superiority. A legitimization of our innovative pioneer spirit... even though geography and luck played a part in our post-war prosperity. We got cocky.
Look no farther than the "America is the shining beacon of the world" attitude that most politicians have.
The attitude is that if you question this you "hate America." Unfortunately, that's the last thing we need to have happen. The good ol' days are over and we need to start looking abroad to find ways to compete again. Saying you aren't patriotic because you and trying to introduce some healthy criticism is ignorant.
I'm a patriot. I'm very happy being American. I've been all-around this country and dig it the most. But quite honestly, on a day-to-day basis, I don't go around thinking much about whether or not we're #1 in everything. It's a topic usually raised by certain pundits who tend to get all defensive.
It also occurs to me that Danes and Canadians and New Zealanders tend to be very happy even though they aren't #1 in many things. Except perhaps being happy.
He mentions many different components of America’s decline, but surely to the rest of the world, the glaring reality that’s obvious in their eyes - is that the US governments current operating budget is totally dependant on foreign financing and money creation.
And the priorities in the eyes of Washington - there’s no money to provide the uninsured with health care, but Pentagon officials admit such details that every gallon of gasoline delivered to US troops in Afghanistan costs the US taxpayer $400!
Imagine just how many gallons that is - the daily bill for the Marines alone comes to $320,000,000!
So while the US government squanders $400 per gallon of gasoline in order to kill women and children in Afghanistan, many millions of Americans have lost their jobs and their homes and are experiencing the kind of misery that is the daily life of poor Third World peoples.
Americans are living in their cars and in public parks.
America’s cities, towns, and states are suffering from the costs of economic dislocations and the reduction in tax revenues from the economy’s decline.
The enormous scale of foreign borrowing and money creation necessary to finance Washington’s wars are sending the dollar to historic lows.
The dollar has even experienced large declines relative to currencies of third world countries such as Botswana and Brazil.
The decline in the dollar’s value reduces the purchasing power of Americans’ already declining incomes.
Industrial production has collapsed to the level of 1999, wiping out a decade of growth in industrial output.
As with any third world failed state, it seems today that the greatest enemy of the American people is their own government.
Washington is controlled by interest groups that enrich themselves at the expense of the American people.
In 1945, America was by far, the wealthiest country in the world rich enough to bankroll the recovery of the Western World, including it’s recent enemies, Germany and Japan.
Now it’s by far the world’s greatest debtor nation, totally dependent on other countries generosity and being willing to accept it’s increasingly questionable IOU’s.
No country with any pride would be willing to accept such a humiliating situation.
I think this is a fine excerpt: "We cannot stop the world from rising and doing better at innovation, nor should we want to do so: the rise of the rest is a powerful, positive phenomenon for everyone. But America must adapt to it, not watch quietly as a spectator."
We don't have to be number one. The point is that we should at least try and keep up, especially if we want to remain an economic powerhouse. What happens to America when all we're good for is physical labor? Not that that is a likely scenario any time soon, but the trend has been for the bulk of the country to be dumber and apathetic while only a small few at the top continue to advance America technologically and scientifically.
Seems the gist of Zakaria's article is that the US doesn't produce a workforce with enough education. Thus, eventually we will lose our edge in innovation and fall behind more competitive countries. So I looked up some stats.
The country with the greatest percentage of college graduates in the G8 is Russia at 55% (of the workforce). While Russian scientists have made many scientific discoveries and can claim many innovations, it doesn't seem to have made the life of the average Russian a bowl of cherries. Number 2 at 45% is Canada, a country with a lifestyle comparable to ours - but not better. The US is 3rd with 39%, 1% higher than Japan. Bringing up the rear is the UK, Germany, France and Italy. Out of that group the US, Japan, and Germany are in the middle for graduates, but it's hard to argue that they aren't the leading economies.
I couldn't find hard stats on China, but they currently graduate 5,000,000 every year. If they continue at that pace then 25%-30% of the workforce will have degrees. But they have a problem. Of the 5,000,000 graduates only 68% can find jobs. China needs workers to support their export based economy, not scientists.
Another point Zakaria mentioned in passing. The leading economies in the world have CUT corporate income taxes, except for the US. The current administration seems more inclined to raise corporate taxes, making the US less attractive to foreign corporations and hindering domestic employment.
Zakaria makes some good points, but it'll be a hell of a long time (possibly forever) before Americans are forced to live a third world lifestyle.
Man Lands On The Moon!
Blowing.Rock Master wrote:
it'll be a hell of a long time (possibly forever) before Americans are forced to live a third world lifestyle.
You're a true believer in the illusion.
Brilliant analysis.
This article is about 5-10 years too late.
Blowing.Rock Master wrote:
Seems the gist of Zakaria's article is that the US doesn't produce a workforce with enough education. Thus, eventually we will lose our edge in innovation and fall behind more competitive countries. So I looked up some stats.
Find the breakdown of degrees for each of those countries for liberal arts majors vs. experimental science majors and engineers, then get back to me.
A degree in Women's Studies with a minor in Art History won't do you jack in the global economy, a degree in electrical engineering will.
Feel free to look up those stats yourself. I doubt stupid degrees makes up a higher percentage of degrees in the US than it does in other countries.
Blowing.Rock Master wrote:
I doubt stupid degrees makes up a higher percentage of degrees in the US than it does in other countries.
My reaction when I saw this comment -->
http://www.epicallyfunnypictures.com/FunnyPictures/ORLY/orly4-full.jpgthemanontherun wrote:
A degree in Women's Studies with a minor in Art History won't do you jack in the global economy, a degree in electrical engineering will.
I know tons of people with degrees in those kinds of majors, few of them are unemployed. Most of them have jobs that are only somewhat related to their majors -- the important things are the ability to read/think/analyze, etc.
Guppy wrote:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/222836/page/1I'd really like to hear some feedback on this article if you have the time. It's well worth the read.
Ziz. The US has been agonizing over this since at least the early 80's.
You anti-semitic god damn Jew haters. You want the U.S. put down so Israel will fail. We will hunt down and kill all you Islamofacist wimps.
Blowing.Rock Master wrote:
Feel free to look up those stats yourself. I doubt stupid degrees makes up a higher percentage of degrees in the US than it does in other countries.
Other countries don't have the resources and $$$$ to offer anything but core curiculum (sp) to the top 10% of high school graduates accepted to university.
Many...many Americans are working in fields totally unrelated to their degree, particularly when they realize the limited employment opportunities and the low pay associated with liberal arts degrees.
