IS AMERICA'S DECLINE IRREVERSIBLE?

Yeah right, they come here because a degree from an American college holds weight anywhere. You still did not answer my question about China's GDP. And oh yeah, we don't beg China for their money, we put the t-bills on the open market and China buys them thats how the REAL world works. Now go learn about it.

 

there are 3.8 million job openings now....its been that way for a few years. why?

because of various reasons and one is that most people are unqualified

 

The US will need time to chose a specific niche and then retool. It used to be manufacturing which died in the 80s;look at Detroit. At the same time the wider world is much better educated and can provide the same hi tech goods cheaper. The BRICS are indeed rising as are many 3rd world countries.There is an undergoing silent sea change as we speak.
Nigeria is slated to overtake S.Africa and be Africa's biggest economy in 15 years. Turkey,Indonesia,Vietnam and Mexico will be solid 2nd world nations within a decade.
Even here in Kenya and much of Africa our middle class is among the fastest growing in the world.

http://www.uhy.com/the-worlds-fastest-growing-middle-class/
However this is qualified by the Purchasing Power Parity concept and so it will be some time before there are 2 flatscreens in every African home.

 

I dont think a degree from your state's community college would mean much anywhere so stop making ridiculous sweeping statements. The Indians who are here on work visas already have their degrees from India and are poached to work here so it debunks your insular "we don't anything from them" statement. Does China's GDP change the fact that they are no.2 in the world? Which other nation has trillions of dollars in treasury bills? When the US dollar went on an unprecedented freefall and was pretty much garbage which nation still had trillions of dollars in treasury bills? I am pointing to you China's purchasing might which you snidely brush off. Let China withdraw its purchase and buy euros and see which nation will buy trillions of dollars as we speak. Some of you act butt hurt like a child whose candy has been taken away from him when it is pointed out that China is an economic giant and is threatening America's might and competing with America for the world's natural resources. Why are American businessmen kissing Chinese asses and scrambling for a piece of China's new money? 30 years ago Chinese businessmen struggled to even get visas to come and do business in America. Now American businessmen fly to China or lay a red carpet to welcome the Chinese. Hell some are even learning Mandarin that is how major it has become. Now if you dont see that as a paradigm shift in terms of economic powerplay,that is your problem.

 

By what measure is China #2? Fact is THE WORLD financial system is based on the US Dollar. Now go chew on that. China has potential but they are a victim of their own govenment as well as cultural aspects that hold them back from being the financial powerhouse you speak of. I have no reason to hate. Their living conditions suck, and they dont give a damn about human rights. Are you learning mandarin? Are you planning to move to China? Thats what I thought.

 

Um, literally....

Yeah, NOT using this beach for long walks, sorry.

 

By the same measure USA is no.1 . Its not that hard just google it and you know their GDP unless you dont believe what CNN money are saying. Typical of an insular American you fail to see beyond your nose. What has their terrible human rights or living conditions got to do with their financial might? The amount of poor people in China is more than the entire USA population but does that change the fact that they are flush with cash? The people who go hungry at night in America are more than the population of Equatorial Guinea does it change the fact that America is the no.1 economy in the world? There are people in China who are living the dream life that some Americans would dream. You obviously havent been to China before else you would know that the new middle class to super rich live in swanky homes and drive luxury cars, go to good restaurants play golf and do all that most people who have money to burn do. So no not all Chinese live in squalid conditions yes i am learning mandarin and yes i would go live in China if it would be financially beneficial.

 

Good luck with that, the wages are tantamount to modern day slavery. and yes I know their GDP and it is a long way from #2. I am not an insular just because I put more interest into Latin America and Europe than a far east country that pay slave wages to their people and manipulate their currency, not to mention have laws that choke creativity. Why am I even having this debate, go to China and good luck on your trip.

 

I agree with you cus arguing with you is an exercise in futility. Who says everybody earns a living wage in America? Who said everybody earns slave wages in China. Your ignorance is befuddling to say the least. The GDP of China is $11 trillion plus second only to USA's $15 trillion plus. BOTTOM LINE IS CHINA IS THE SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY IN THEWORLD, whether they have shitty human rights or have manipulated their currency or pay slave wages. All your tangential points doesnt CHANGE that fact. How this doesnt sink in is mind boggling. By the way Venezuela is in South America and i'm sure their human rights are peachy.Good luck in investing in Greece, Portugal, Ireland Spain or Italy .

 

That is a correct statement fam, just checked my source. I tried to get you to give me that number quite a while ago, but I can admit when I am wrong about something. Trying to investing in them directly holds no interest for me but the bolded statement above is correct.

 

China is doing well but they will have to change a lot of their employment practices to keep production going because there will be unionizing and striking at some point. You cant make people live on pennies a day forever and expect them to just take it. I think thr next boom will be in Africa. Cant wait to see it happen.

 

I thought Africa booming will never happen till i am old and grey or gone but there is hope. A lot of professionals who think outside the box are returning home because of the financial crisis in the western world and their expertise would help. Unfortunately political leadership is what will delay our boom and unless visionary people enter into politics and change the African's way of thinking and also strenghten institutions to be independent enough to call African Presidents to order when they go wrong, it will be a long time coming. Classic example is Nigeria which is Africa's largest oil producer yet they have just about 4 hours of electricity a day. Only political will will get Africa up there. On the China bit unless it becomes a democracy those strikes and unrest will be kept to a minimum.

 

Thanks, Beasty. For the other posters on this thread, this isn't intended to be some sort of chest-pounding defense of the USA. I was simply talking about economic dominance. I don't agree with any nation attempting to dictate to the rest of the international community, including the USA. But I do believe that certain economic systems stem from certain cultural and material conditions and do not automatically translate to other cultures in the same way. As a result, I don't foresee this 'Yellow Peril' that people attempt to drum up in the media, that China is coming to eat our metaphorical lunch. I believe they will make progress toward ameliorating poverty and improving their standard of living, but they are not going to become Americans (I hate that imprecise term) overnight and suddenly take the reins and dominate the global economic order, an order which is linked, not only economically, but culturally and philosophically to Western Europe (and by extension, the USA).

 

This is where i have a problem. Somehow there is this notion that global domination in terms of money and power is the sole preserve and divine right of the west. There is a paradigm shift and the world would not go back to the days when western nations spoke and everybody must obey. China with their new money will advance in technology and increase in military might as the years go by. The rise of China was always ridiculed when they broke into the top 10 of the world's largest economies and now they are no 2. America and Western Europe might bounce back but this time there will be a strong China, India and Brazil competing whth them on equal footing for the world domination which comes with money and power. Nobody is saying America will collapse but smaller nations will now have options when it comes to bilateral trade and sourcing for funds for infrastructure. The west no longer have sole prerogative when it comes to financial superiority. 200 years Great Britain was a world power, they havent changed their way of life considerably, yet they are no longer dominant because there was a paradigm shift. It is always smart to acknowledge the strength of your adversary.

 

Good post.

 

So is ours. It's falling apart. And our economy could benefit from jobs created repairing and upgrading our roads, bridges, rail and other infrastructure. The highway system is older than I am. Our bridges are scary. If we invested in our infrastructure we could become more competitive, and the jobs created would be a huge boon to our economy. I've been across country several times, and there are bridges you hold your breath crossing. I'm not talking about some dinky little bridge in a one horse town out in the country. Our rail system, in comparison to Asia and Europe, is a joke.

 

I think my poop can save billions...so, where can I donate my dookie treasures?

This is no lie, hence the 2016 infrastructure overall implemented by Clinton. But you know the sad part? Because of Congress being ever so super-dickery, the vehemently opposing group would call this "pork-barrel spending."

 

Far better than India and that was my point. And where in Asia are you talking about?

 

Japan has a fantastic rail system. Travelling opens one's eyes to new things.

 

Japan isn't one of the emerging Asian markets so I don't see what place it has in the conversation.