[TheForge] Buy American?

[Andrew Vida]

Reynolds wrote:

> In 1995 I went back to finish a degree ... I was at 38 the old man... 
> remember vividly a discussion... about this country's origins... we
> live in a very young country... still working itself out... no
> guarantee that our government would survive another 100 years... 
> snorted... chuckled at me for being a wacko...

	You could well be a whacko.  Doesn't mean you're wrong. :)
> 
> preserving a nation such as ours will have both frequent and
> gigantic challenges.

	There is no universal business adapter.
	There are no free lunches.

> We have a tough military that can kick any butt that needs it,

	The problem as I see this is that due to decades of abuse
	of the public trust, one can no longer know when the right
	butt is being kicked or for the right reasons, and what
	ulterior motives may be at play.  It's their fault and it
	is our fault for allowing it.  One usually gets what one
	pays for.

> Ultimately our success as a nation will contribute to our undoing. 

	This is probably true, but I don't see it as having to be that
	way.  What can we DO so that people such as full time smiths 
	can make a decent living?  Boy, that could fill a volume or 
	two, much of it not very pretty.

	We've had this discussion on artmetal.  Occupations such as
	blacksmithing etc. are tough in terms of making a living.  We
	just discussed the marketing aspects of it as well, but that
	largely focused on the strategy of courting the wealthy.  If
	things go kaput here, and I mean REALLY kaput, there will be
	far fewer of the wealthy to go after.  What does one do then?
	Perhaps a quantum change in expectations of lifestyle will be
	in order.

	Intriguing times are these.