China and the future

[EJ]

My dad sent me an article that stated China graduates 700,000 engineers per year while the U.S. only graduates 60,000. That is nearly a 12 to 1 ratio while China's population is only 4 times that of the U.S. So, basically, China graduates 3 times as many engineers as the U.S. (per capita).

I realize that in China people don't get to choose career paths and are "guided" by the government based on their intelligence, etc.

However, China is making huge technological strides (I guess you can include theft as a "stride" too) and are preparing their infrastructure for the future.

Examples include:

1. High speed trains using superconductors (train physically floats above the "track" eliminating friction and vastly reducing energy requirements)

2. The construction of several hundred hydroelectric dams all over the country.

3. The construction of low-level nuclear heating plants that use recycled plutonium to provide heat to major population centers and produce virtually no pollution.

4. They are only several years behind the U.S. in their space program.

5. Virtually every household good Americans buy comes from China.

I know that some of these things may not seem important and I would NEVER sacrifice my freedom for any of them.

BUT, my point is that the U.S. is not taking the proper steps to ensure our survival as a nation. We send BILLIONS of dollars to nations all over the world while our own people starve and are homeless and our schools and roads continue to deteriorate.

We waste even more money by not channeling it directly to where it is needed by "filtering" it through multiple bureaucracies. We have $4 to 5 TRILLION in debt. These are numbers so large, I can't even comprehend how we will ever pay it off.

We are dependent on fossil fuels provided to us by countries that promote the very terrorists that want to destroy us.

Many of the people running our government only care about power and money or their personal agenda. They have become greedy and lost sight of the reason they are elected in the first place.

China is not free, but their "government" is taking the necessary steps to ensure their survival and that they will be DEPENDANT upon themselves and noone else.

I love my country and would not want to live anywhere else, but we are digging our own grave by not planning for the future.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[american]

Thought provoking, but "our own people starve" sounds like hyperbole to me. There is certainly much more hunger in China than there is in the states. I think you will find also that the "BILLIONS of dollars" we send to other nations - as a percentage of GDP - is smaller than any other industrialized country sends to other nations.

I think the biggest factor in our digging our own grave is the renewed deficit spending (and already mind boggling debt as you pointed out). We are paying close to 200 billion dollars a year in interest.

[EJ]

No arguement here about the deficits.

And, I really don't care what percentage of our GDP it is. I don't think we should be giving money to other nations when we have our own problems to solve.

Now, if our government would budget money more efficiently, perphaps we could get rid of deficits and help those countries that really are in need (after we take care of our own country).

However, the greed and power associated with political office will never allow that to happen.

[american]

Do you think John McCain could change anything, or the system just won't allow it?

[Champ967]

With respect to Sen. McCain, it's going to take more than one man to wrest power from the vice-grip that is the 2-party oligarchy.

America needs a good kick in the pants from a widespread, well-organized populist movement that is fed up with a country controlled almost entirely by the interests of big business through their congressional lackeys.

Honestly, I could see McCain as a prominent figure in such a movement, but he'll first have to detach himself from the teat of the GOP.

[american]

I think you're right.

[Memdawg]

You guys can believe the tripe that McCain is for "reform", all you want, but the fact is he takes in just as much "special interest" money and then acts like it's a horrible thing when others do the same...

He is a huge egomaniac, that crafted a worthless bill(now law)...

I do appreciate him standing by W on the war, as such, but it also makes him look good!!!

[Champ967]

but the fact is he takes in just as much "special interest" money

That wouldnt surprise me one bit.

[american]

So are you now ready for W to send $30,000,000,000 to Turkey so we can stage a few troops there?

[Champ967]

I'm sure in W's mind that will be the last such payment.

After all, once we install a long-term occupation force in Iraq, there wont be any further need to "rent" troop space in Turkey or Saudi.

Is it really $30 BILLION?! 8O 8O

[EJ]

Is it really $30 BILLION?!

$30 Billion is the total we send to the countries around the world while our own children, elderly, and homeless suffer and our education system and infrastructure continue to decay.

Don't get me started...

[Champ967]

Ok, EJ. We get it already.

I dont guess I have to tell you what a small portion of the federal budget that is.

Why is it that conservatives want to maximize the priviledges of superpower status, but minimize the responsibilities?

[EJ]

Who said I was conservative? And who said I wanted to increase our superpowers or whatever?

Don't put words in people's mouths. That is Dan Rather's job... :wink:

[american]

$30 billion is what the Turks are demanding. The administration is trying to convince them to accept $7 or $8. I remember when President Clinton LOANED Mexico a few billion dollars to solve a peso crisis. The Republicans ranted and raved about this "largess". The peso was stabilized and the Mexicans payed the entire loan back with a tidy amount of interest to boot.

[Champ967]

Didnt say you were conservative. I just posed an open question about conservatives in general. :roll:

Methinks the Texan doth protest too much. :wink: