I appreciate your time in putting your post together and disagree with essentially none of it. The problems you state are built into our phony money based financial system and a Congress and a Presidency that will never, ever learn to live within their means.
Given that, we are trading paper that can be made worthless in the twink of Fed Chairman’s eye for real stuff. I don’t like that. I don’t like the fact that we run trade deficits with so many countries but the alternative is some variant on isolationism. That doesn’t work ether.
As to China: Well they are a big country with a large population. There is very little we can do to limit their ambitions even if we tried. My view is that having a business relationship with them that is valuable to them is the best way to avoid conflicts. Right now they have a very good customer: That’s you and me and lot of other people running around town with their iPads and iPhones.
But, in the end, I am quite sympathetic to your POV.
Phony straw-man. No one is saying that we should be isolationist. We should, however, protect our workers and our economy. We became the world's biggest economy and still had tariffs and other protectionist measures. In fact, the EU, China, and Japan have various ways to prevent foreign goods from penetrating their markets.
Free trade is good for lowering prices for goods, which helps everyone. But, the loss of jobs and depressed wages is a tough price to pay.
As to China: Well they are a big country with a large population. There is very little we can do to limit their ambitions even if we tried. My view is that having a business relationship with them that is valuable to them is the best way to avoid conflicts.
In the short term, perhaps. In the long run, they will want to exercise their economic and military power to become dominant. They don't share our values and our generosity of spirit. China will not be a defender of democratic ideals and values. They are Communists with a different world view. Human rights are an anathema to them. As we decline as a nation, so will the rights of the individual around the world. When it comes to defending natural rights, the US is the indispensable nation. That will become more and more apparent as our power and influence decline.
Right now they have a very good customer: That’s you and me and lot of other people running around town with their iPads and iPhones.
Those products were invented in the US. It is cheaper to make them in China.