[TheForge] Buy American?

[Reynolds]

Ries and Andrew, very interesting comments and observations you make.

In 1995 I went back to finish a degree left hanging for 13 years. I was at 38 the old man in many classes. I remember vividly a discussion in an American history class about this country's origins. I brought up that as nations go, we live in a very young country and that this experiment of representative demoncracy is still working itself out. I made the statement that we had no guarantee that our government would survive another 100 years, much less 200 years. They snorted, rolled their eyes and chuckled at me for being a wacko or some cumpulusive naysayer.

I guess they were thinking that because things were good then, they were destined to stay that way. I know better. Good things don't just happen, and preserving a nation such as ours will have both frequent and gigantic challenges. And I believe the exporting of so many manufacturing jobs will have a consequence, if not now, certainly in 6-10 years. We are every year becoming more of a service economy. You can't export most of those services either. Case in point, look at the monthly trade deficit. 

We have a tough military that can kick any butt that needs it, but the nation itself has a soft underbelly and doesn't have a sense of hard times or belt-tightening. Don't ask them to make any sacrifice. Mention the idea of Victory Gardens to someone. Must won't have a clue as to why those people 60 years ago did so, and if they do, they wouldn't know a mustard seed from a pumpkin seed. That work is for peons.

Ultimately our success as a nation will contribute to our undoing. In the interim, just remember that the Romans had an unstoppable military machine and ruled most every area of the world they chose to rule. They rotted from within, having become consumed with eliteism, leisure, opulence, sexual preoccupation, and an endless selfishness and back-biting by its leaders. Sound familiar?

Reynolds


_______________________________________________
Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com
The most personalized portal on the Web!