Back on December 11, I reprinted letters from readers that predicted two contrasting visions of the future.
The first, which claimed that democracies have finite lifecycles of 200 years, predicted that in the U.S. freedom is now waning, and that from apathy we will move to dependence on government and then to bondage.
The second offered a glorious notion of a high-tech vehicle that would help us end our dependence on foreign oil and usher in a new wave of growth.
Today, I have some of your responses. If you didn’t respond then, please leave your comments here.
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“If the USA is finished, who the hell is going to take the reins? If the USA is morally bankrupt, who the hell in this world is any better? Everyone despises the USA, but when you get right down to it, who the hell will fill your boots; China? Russia? Iran? GOD HELP US ALL if any of these morally ripe candidates step up!!! You Americans might be greedy pigs but you are the least of evils!”
D. C. from British Columbia
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“I feel if the US fails it will be in the next 15 years, based on the changes I have observed over the past 45 years since getting out of high school.
“We are without any doubt no longer a REPUBLIC, but now have become a Social Democracy, with this year’s bailout by Government of businesses who are in trouble because of DEREGULATION created by Congress.
“Yep–America is over. The question is how much longer till total loss of freedom.”
J. B.
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“The problem with the “Democracy” arguments is that there are several things mixed together, most notably “Democracy” itself and “success as a nation, which are different things. Please consider:
“(a) The Roman Empire was a republic in the beginning, but the “glory of Rome” lasted from 753 B.C until 476 A.D., with a 200-year peak period.
“(b) The British Empire was supreme from the time of the Spanish Armada in 1588 up until the time it was bankrupted by World War I (in all of this probably the best lesson for us to learn).
“(c) We are not an absolute democracy but a representative one. If you look at our two hundred year history, and do it carefully, you’ll find that people are better represented now than ever before. The original aristocracy that founded our nation excluded women and minority races.”
G. J.
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“As my late father used to say, “humans have made amazing advancements in the last 100 years, but they haven’t changed one bit in the last 10,000 years.” Our inventions to make life easier and improve the quality of our physical lives are amazing, however our moral and ethical character remains the same. So, both perspectives may be correct–unfortunately we may all be bonded slaves zipping around in hydrogen/electric pods owned by the big uncle. Maybe the question is, will the technical inventions of the information age save us from ourselves?”
R. F.
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“The great strength of the U.S. is intellectual capital, i.e. the constant creativity and ingenuity of the American people and the willingness to take risks, to dream and to create new businesses. This is what will create the Googles, the Microsofts and the eBays of the future. This constant ability of America to renew itself is what will enable us to flourish over time. We may well be entering a multi-polar world in which the U.S. is “Primus Inter Pares,” and I happen to think that is healthy for us and the global economy. It fosters interdependence and mutual reliance because all the key players have a stake in the system.
“Nothing, however, is guaranteed; it requires constant enlightened leadership by our political, business and educational elites. Look at places like North Korea, Argentina and many African nations and you see the consequences of bad leadership. Singapore, 30 to 40 years ago, had a per capita income of $500. Today it is one of the wealthiest nations in the world on a per capita basis, despite the fact it has no natural resources. Ditto Japan with scarcely any natural resources.
“The U.S. sometimes takes a wrong turn but we always self correct … not without some pain sometimes. So … as I look around the world, I like the U.S.’s chances.”
M.A. from Colorado
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“By way of introduction, I grew up in the Netherlands in the 1940s and ’50s. I remember bombers coming over my hometown at 500 feet altitude dropping food and clothing supplies (winter 1944-1945). These bombers showed U.S. stars on the wings. Remember the Marshal plan? It was America who put Europe back together and it was America who practically created the present country of Japan. I moved to Canada in 1961 and have spent the intervening years living about 15 miles north of our common border. In my own business I have been dealing with America for close to 50 years. My brother and my daughter and their families live in the USA.
“After WWII the U.S. represented, in round numbers, 50% of the world’s economy, 60% of the world’s manufacturing capacity. Today these numbers are less then half of what they were then. All that this means is that Europe, Japan, and to a lesser extend other countries, have grown and matured.
“America is one of the greatest and most successful societies ever to exist on this globe, and more things have gone right than wrong. It does not mean that there is not a lot that needs fixing, but there is a lot of success and many good parts to your society.
“As a foreigner, I see the following areas that need attention for the USA to keep its primary standing in this world and to regain the respect of other nations that has been eroding in the last decades.
“1. Education. Availability of quality education must be improved but more so it must be made available to all young people. It is unconscionable that a university degree comes with a debt load of $25K to $50K. No excuses anymore for providing free education and higher education to all Americans. If India can do this so can you.
“2. Health care. You must provide affordable health care to ALL Americans. Don’t look at Canada for an example, look at France, reportedly the best in the west. Your health care system must be controlled by the national government in order to make it truly universal.
“3. Old age coverage. With the automobile industry in trouble it is interesting to hear that the U.S. government will take over the exorbitant pension plan arrangements the autoworkers have extracted from the manufacturers. Is your government not the government of all the people? Then why not arrange for a universal pension plan covering all Americans over 65?
“4. Military. This institution takes far too large a part of your national wealth and your international profile. It must be reduced. The mention of the USA today, outside your country, brings to mind the military complex even before the economy. From the Crusades to the Vietnam War, only one war ever improved the well-being of mankind, WWII; all other ones were a waste of time, money and young lives. Military might is a great club if you want to be a bully, but only if that is what you want to be.
“5. International (1). Decide who your friends are and treat them that way. NAFTA is not perfect for any of the participants, but it works well on balance. Why beat up on your friends, Canada and Mexico, while your real economic problem lies in the competition from China, India, Japan and elsewhere? Work to level the playing field between you, China, Japan and India and it will go a long way toward resolving your trade problems.
“6. International (2). The world order is changing and not in the “West’s” favour. In order to survive the coming competition from highly populated countries we (including Europe) will need alliances. Only one country may be applicable for leadership of Europe–the UK is not European enough, Germany is still not fully acceptable to most European countries and Italy is too divided internally to be in a leadership position. That leaves France. Luckily, France today has a pro-American president, Mr. Sarkozy. Form an alliance with Europe, eventually a common market and associated governments. We will need this alliance for size and strength. The window of opportunity here is small but it is open at this time. Needless to say you should continue to promote free trade and common markets with South America and the present NAFTA countries. All together we could be the largest trading block in the world.
“7. Energy. Start moving to alternative energy sources now!
“I am a conservative at heart but listened to President-elect Obama during the campaign where, for the most part, he said the right things. I hope he will manage your part of the world with intelligence and strength, treat friends and neighbors with respect and understanding and be firm in his dealing with your competitors.
“My affection and admiration for the USA is as great today as it has ever been and I would not like anything better than to see things go well for your country.”
P. V. from Ontario
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Finally, a reader sent this quote by the late Southern Baptist pastor, Dr. Adrian Rogers
“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that, my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”