Drought?

[drew03cmc]

Good point. Oh well, I've been wrong before. Chief, you are correct. That is nothing more than Republican Conservativism in its purest form.

Mitch read the part about dissenters in your link. That is where I found my view of American Exceptionalism.

[Mitch f]

Sorry Drew, Mitch is right. What you just described is known as republican conservatism.

CLASS WARFARE, CLASS WARFARE!!!!! ...there's is an element of truth in all statements!

[Wayne SW/MO]

I seriously doubt that the Chinese have education figures that can be compared to many other countries. If you talking about Chinese outside of Chine, then you have to pretty much include the whole mongoloid population in Asia. It also helps to ignore all the scientific and technological achievements of Americans, because if you don't do that the education figures are meaningless.

I always hate to see a debate thread turn political and kill it. Thanks Chief for slipping in the "Its their fault" for all that troubles the nation..

[Chief Grey Bear]

Well I see you have had your morning bowl. I didn't blame anybody for anything.

It got political long before pg 9. I guess it just depends on who is slinging mud as to whether it is political or not.

[ness]

[Al Agnew]

There is no perfect answer to the problems that China poses for the U.S. China has been VERY good at taking American and other innovations, reverse engineering them, and even improving upon them, but has not been good at true innovation. That's what has happened with solar energy...China took the U.S. technology, tweaked it a bit, figured out efficient ways of manufacturing it (thanks, in part, to almost zero environmental regulations and cheap labor), and is now selling it back to us. It's what they've done with just about everything.

So our choices seem to be to figure out how to compete with them on the manufacturing end (an almost impossible task unless we drop our workers down to their level of pay and benefits) or get back to what we've traditionally done best--innovation.

American exceptionalism? I think we are living in the past and resting upon our laurels. We've been the best at most everything at one time or another, and we're still the best at many things, but we're coasting, not innovating.

[Mitch f]

There is no perfect answer to the problems that China poses for the U.S. China has been VERY good at taking American and other innovations, reverse engineering them, and even improving upon them, but has not been good at true innovation. That's what has happened with solar energy...China took the U.S. technology, tweaked it a bit, figured out efficient ways of manufacturing it (thanks, in part, to almost zero environmental regulations and cheap labor), and is now selling it back to us. It's what they've done with just about everything.

So our choices seem to be to figure out how to compete with them on the manufacturing end (an almost impossible task unless we drop our workers down to their level of pay and benefits) or get back to what we've traditionally done best--innovation.

American exceptionalism? I think we are living in the past and resting upon our laurels. We've been the best at most everything at one time or another, and we're still the best at many things, but we're coasting, not innovating.

Agree we are coasting. The USA reminds me of hundreds of companies that were started by a hard working genius that was creative and found a niche. Then raised a family and gave them the things he never had as a child. His company grew like crazy until the spoiled pot smoking kid took over the family business and ran it into the ground. I agree Al we ain't what we used to be.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Fruit Loops. I meant Fruit Loops.

[Wayne SW/MO]

China took the U.S. technology, tweaked it a bit, figured out efficient ways of manufacturing it (thanks, in part, to almost zero environmental regulations and cheap labor)

Sounds like there is a possibility of no net gain, or less. If that's true the once again there is no traction and our money is wasted.

[Justin Spencer]

Maybe this recession is what we need to spark a new generation of innovators. Right now all the innovation is in computers since that is where the money seems to be. Everyone has been living pretty comfortably the last few decades and many people have realized that money isn't everything as well. Much of our innovation has come as a result of goverment programs that we can no longer afford. I can't point any fingers because I'm no innovator, my best invention is a piece of pvc with a hole in it to stretch a bungee cord over a canoe. Try to beat that CHINA!