Posted on 03/03/2011 5:07:36 AM PST by Bigtigermike
I am an American, not by accident of birth but by choice. I voted with my feet and became an American because I love this country and think it is exceptional. But when I look at the world today and the strong winds of technological change and global competition, it makes me nervous. Perhaps most unsettling is the fact that while these forces gather strength, Americans seem unable to grasp the magnitude of the challenges that face us. Despite the hyped talk of China's rise, most Americans operate on the assumption that the U.S. is still No. 1.
But is it? Yes, the U.S. remains the world's largest economy, and we have the largest military by far, the most dynamic technology companies and a highly entrepreneurial climate. But these are snapshots of where we are right now. The decisions that created today's growth — decisions about education, infrastructure and the like — were made decades ago. What we see today is an American economy that has boomed because of policies and developments of the 1950s and '60s: the interstate-highway system, massive funding for science and technology, a public-education system that was the envy of the world and generous immigration policies. Look at some underlying measures today, and you will wonder about the future.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
I'd say with the idiot we have in office even the Carter years could be called that now...
--Is our country in better or worse shape financially than in the past?
--Does our leadership tend to be of a higher or lower quality than in the past?
--Is the tendency of our government to provide more freedom over time, or to gain more and more power over time?
--Do successive generations tend to exhibit stronger character and morals, or weaker?
--Do we tend to face less competition in the world market or more competition?
I don’t know why but I feel that the Carter years were worse. i guess it was because I was very young 11 when he was voted out, but those lines for gas pissed me off as a kid. I guess so much is going on and the internet is full of positive people on Free Republic and Facebook that it makes it bearable. I guess I am more positive now myself with hoping that the Middle East will turn out as well as Russia did in the 90’s when the Eastern Block country told Russia to go to He!!. So far Egypt has been a success. Now we have Libya to contend with. I think that is going to be the deciding factor on whether the middle East ends up a democracy or not.
Courage, Fareed. All will be well.
Or...would you like to return to your country of origin?
I’d bet you’d rather remain here in the old USA.
We ain’t licked yet, and when Mr. Obama is run from office in 2012, America will experience a flight to political and financial health.
Another Muslim heard from. The USA will be much better off if a few million Muslims who love sharia law are allowed to settle in the land of the formerly free.
We’re close to the same age, I was 14 when he got the boot. We lost our family business back then, when oil spiked we were in the rubber business doing mostly automotive and it put us under. Now that I’m in business myself and see a President that ignores the Constitution, openly dislikes our nation and its businesses and is very willing to do what it takes to lower us in the eyes of the world plus what the Fed has done I just don’t feel the same hope for the future as we did back then.
I’m 35 and though I never experienced it for myself, I firmly believe America as a nation peaked in the 1950’s.
Some states like NY and California Best Days are gone.
Other states like Texas, much of the mountain states loaded with energy, the South excluding Northern Virgina and Alaska best days are yet to come.
The Midwest excluding the city states like Detroit and Chicago, still have hope.
I well remember the Carter years and these years are much worse than those..We respected the US constitution in those days and we did not have communists, terrorists, illegals and revolutionaries running amok in our streets. We can withstand hard economic times but we cannot withstand a revolution to communism or worse and that is what we face now, seemingly with the support of our government and the unions.
I have a better question.
“Are Time Magazine’s Best Days Behind Them?” A resounding Yes!
Other states like Texas, much of the mountain states loaded with energy, the South excluding Northern Virgina and Alaska best days are yet to come.
The Midwest excluding the city states like Detroit and Chicago, still have hope”...
I heard the other day that out of 100 people, one person will understand what is going on and will become active to try and stem the horrible tide, nine people will understand what is going on but will stand back and not get involved, 90 people will go blindly through, not caring to be responsible and informed and when the worst happens, they will be stunned that the good life is gone. While your observations are definitely true at the moment, they will hold as long as we have our Republic and freedom. When our federal government destroys that by ignoring our Constitution and the rule of law, no state will be prosperous.
TIME is up.
Remember who we are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ1ifi8wC5k
What this lefty doesn't get is that America is great because of our CONSTITUTION, not because of some policies from the 50s or 60s.
As the citizens are moving back to the Constitution, we will regain our American Will and economic up times will come again.
Greatness does not just mean economic good times, it means that individual liberty is foremost in our Country.
Fared Zakaaria is the author of “Post American....” a book that Obama is pictured carrying in his right hand, after exiting the Presidential Limosine. Is fareed an unofficial advisor to president Obama?
I checked out Amazon His Book Post American World publishers price 25.94, Amazon Price 4.54.
The article through Time - I need to get more people to read my book, sales are down so much that the book is virtually worthless. Hopefully if he gets enough people to buy his book price will rise.
there is the real reason for the puff piece in Time.
“I heard the other day that out of 100 people, one person will understand what is going on and will become active to try and stem the horrible tide, nine people will understand what is going on but will stand back and not get involved, 90 people will go blindly through, not caring to be responsible and informed and when the worst happens, they will be stunned that the good life is gone.”
I don’t believe that for a second, and I’d like to point out why. While it may SEEM that way, especially in the urban areas, most of our population doesn’t even live in a major city. I’d like to offer you an alternative number system, that’s I’ve come to find to be more or less to be true, but subject to debate.
5%: The true patriots who will put their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor on the line to ensure freedom prevails. They’ll step up to the plate first.
10%: Will join in as soon as the first 5% stand up for something, often these include those with families who will not be the first to risk all, but still want the same things. They’re in essence looking for a leader.
20%: Want moral, free lives, but generally see themselves as unable to do anything besides plug along and care for their families, and they will join in the cause of freedom one they see things going on around them, remember the media, et al. are really trying to mask everything that is going on. These, throughout history have been the turning point in making a stand (or so I believe).
30%: Could care less about what’s going on, but just want to make it through life without having to worry about what’s going on. These are the oblivious.
20%: These are the parasite class. In essence, they are those who will repeatedly support someone who promises them a life of ease. They strive for little to nothing, and get such, but support (by vote or otherwise) those who would take from others to give to them.
10%: These are the theorists, who are the useful idiots of the bottom 5%. They are the right hand henchmen and actively seek to subvert the society in which they live, and others if they can, to bring about dictatorships and oligarchies, in order the get higher up on the pecking order. They’re the union officials, etc. They do what their task/puppet masters want, in order to become more relevant and revered, because they’ve not done anything worthwhile to acheive it.
(Note: The bottom most catagory, is probably a little smaller, and a percent or two should probably be moved up to the 10%, but this is for simplicity’s sake).
5%: These are the through and through “liberals,” actually wanna be dictators. They essentially try and get the above 10-12% to agitate the 20% of moochers to overthrow the patriots. They use subversion and a slow creep to do so, banking on the fact that 50% of the population in essences wants to be left alone, and that they have 20% on their side, willing to support them in exchage for bread and circuses.
Take away what you will, but I’ve studied people for a long time. And throughout history, I’ve found this to be the composition of a great amount of people. 1/3 for freedom, 1/3 essentially trying (but impossible), to be fencesitters, and 1/3 to be the lazy, the tyrants, theives, etc. It just waffles back and forth. If the 1/3 who stand for freedom growns, the people prosper until they get lazy, if the 1/3 who are apathetic grows, the society is generally attacked, and stirred up to remember God, and if the 1/3 who are for oppression grows, it leads to civil war.
I in NO WAY believe only 1% of the population is prepared, it’s probably closer 10-15%, and they’ll help those who need it. That’s my take.
No, the power-elite are/were much more clever than that. All they had to do was harness the power of exponents, deliver the deadly drug of debt to "average Americans" via gov't support (Fannie/Freddie) & marketing (glamorizing credit cards), and then let compound math (principal+interest) works its magic.
It's been this way for thousands of years. Works like a charm every time it's been used. Eventually, the money lenders get driven out and start somewhere else, leaving the former victim a steaming hulk.
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