Fine forget conservatives, tons of people put too much focus on Russia in general, because they haven't moved past the cold war, they haven't considered how Russia has changed over the decades, its not the same entity.
How living does in America suck worse then living in China? Also Canada has more government intervention then America and its economy is doing better (Canada is only G-8 nation that hasn't needed to bail out its banks) so there is more too it then that.
Besides its foolish to link a nation's power just with its economic power. If China lets the country a toxic waste dump, that will effect the health of its citizens, which means production will be lower and someone, either the companies or the government will have to cover those health costs or clean up the mess. A strong nation cannot have an unhealthy population.
Japan does have a manufacturing sector, but China's is better in terms of size. Again if they teamed up, then they can pose an economic threat to the west, but that won't happen.
The Chinese economy is based on selling cheap crap to west, their economy is linked to ours, they have suffered from the econmic downturn as well. No one has benefited from this, not even the Taliban (they are feeling the pinch too). The economies of the world are so interlinked it limits how much one can effect the other, without effecting themselves.
Semantics, what I should have said is almost no one just because a few people saw that coming doesn't make it a common belief and thus it took a lot of people by surprise, which validates my point. How many people predicted 9-11, that was a huge game changer.
This is way this is pointless exercise there are so many things that could happen that almost no one can foresee, that will completely change the rules of the game.
1. You're missing my point. Russia is incredibly moot, the potential of new trade rules wedges the world towards a decoupling scenario. Why does people fearing Russia have anything to do with this?
2. Canada is more resource and export driven, but it is 80% tied to America. Nice way of "spreading the risk". But it's resource and export surplus will give it leeway than America to absorb shock, but it won't last forever.
Despite it's "regulation" it is still "practicing" all the
same mistakes like real estate speculation on a more controlled level. It's like America is a fat guy who eats a lot of junk food uncontrollably, while Canada does the same thing on but at slightly controlled level.
It is still bad for your health. The Canadian banks has all the same derivative exposures on a lesser scale. Not to mention Canada has a ton of "crown corporations". If the country run into debt and budgetary problems from say woes in export (i.e. collapsed American market and protectionism)? A ton of government jobs get nuked, and their crown corporations which furthers the vicious cycle of reducing exports. Canada at best is a short term safe haven, there are still many fundamental flaws.
3. As for the toxic waste dump, if you can't get your own finances in order, just watch what happens to America's environment. This is why in Europe a ton of them are now starting to "lax" on the environmental stuff already because of economic constraints.
Economics begets any environmental controls and preservation.
4. Your missing my other point.
China and Japan at least has the foundation to manufacture, be it to America or to themselves. Meanwhile in America, you have this exorbitant trade deficit and bunch of service jobs geared towards...
servicing Americans.
It's a near full blown service economy, most of which has nothing of value creation, but of speculative value transference via cheap credits and financial engineering. If Americans were forced to manufacture stuff out of necessity, there would be a HUGE problem. Most college kids don't get a degree and expect to spend the rest of their lives doing grind it out manufacturing and/or farming then have most of the savings funneled into social security to fund the baby boomers and the deficit from the "economic stimulus".
Just read
this article. Imagine if the stimulus does not work, and high taxes chases out or kill the "rich" people. Now you have a substantial increase in taxes all over the board, high unemployment and even less government services to boot. That will really
please people.
- not many people are arguing for this case.
Holy ****.
