>>”Superpowers have natural resources, and they use them to manufacture things. Those goods are then sold across the globe, making the superpower, well, a super power. We don’t do that anymore.”<<
Data on the Largest Manufacturing Countries in 2008
http://investing.curiouscatblog.net/2009/10/13/data-on-the-largest-manufacturing-countries-in-2008/
That is an interesting blog — thanks for the link.
But do you really think the data in a guy’s blog makes us a superpower? Can you envision what would happen if we suddenly couldn’t buy most of our stuff from China et al?
We are so dependent on other nations for goods (and loans) that we are no longer even self-supporting. Think about that: we can’t even support ourselves (and our debt and our govt spending.)
To conduct manufacturing on a massive scale (like we did during WWII and like China does now) a country needs cheap labor. We don’t have that now — we have unions that hold the country over a barrel instead.
Maybe I am just being cynical. But I don’t see or feel the power of the United States. There has been a shift in the balance of power, and as you know, it is a zero sum game: when someone gains power, someone else loses power.
At this moment in history, we are giving up power, not gaining it. But we can get it back with the right leadership.