Post by troubledgoodangel on Sept 30, 2007 7:29:42 GMT -7
Let me add a few words, for what they are worth, since I am not an economist. It pays to be optimistic, except when there is no tangible hope. This is why I think that Ludikundera's optimism is misplaced. His stance that "Americans are a long way off from [an economic meltdown]," is just a recipe for more of the same! A country with a weak currency will always be a second class citizen of the world, a pushover unable to compete, to fight terrorism, and to propagate Democracy! Such a nation can no longer lead. By lopsided economic projections, America has allowed the Communist China to wrestle the alan vitale from her! There was a time when I myself have thought that Capitalism would cripple Communism in China from within. Now we know that this has not been the case: the Communist China is stronger than ever ... and our ventures there are actually crippling the Capitalism of America! China has been squeezing the American GNP through trade surplus for decades, and is now using the American dollars to assert its [Communist] leadership in the world! Where are our think tanks? Let me give another example. How is it that even Argentina, this behemoth of economic ineptitude, has notably surpassed the U.S. in wisdom, occasionally? I can tell a little story about that. In the 60's, I worked in the construction of the Destilleria Lujan de Cuyo, the Gasoducto from Patagonia (a 2,000 kilometers long, 36 inch pipeline), the oil drilling fields in Santa Cruz, and also in the construction of the French-made atomic plant, in Atucha. These timely investments in infrastructure have made Argentina a model of energy self-reliance in the world! They make their own gasoline, and they buy no oil from abroad! And they are immune to the blackmailing from OPEC. What is it that the Argentinians, with all their poor planning record, had seen the light early on, whereas the American governments, in the last 40 years, have fought tooth and nail any attempts to build own destilleries, and to explore for oil in California and at ANWAR , in Alaska? One thing is political bickering, another is a breathtaking self-defeating myopia! Aren't we reaping now what we have sown? I think we are! So, I say, optimism won't do this time. Either we fundamentally change our ways of thinking, or we will be left behind pretty soon!