This morning I heard from a business associate, a Swedish immigrant, an industrial engineer, just back from a months training on new manufacturing technology in Germany.
He said the Germans are really concerned about the industry and politics in the US. They could never have predicted that we would become stuck like this, and say no wonder their are protests. The world is passing us, and faster every day. Our levels of technology is not world class in most fields now. Cell phones, if you go to Europe, Japan or Korea now, you will find they are two generations ahead of us in speed, and strength. (like a batting average, a small increase pays off) Energy, they are building and implementing sources and methods we are still fussing about as being unamerican, which brings them to the inability to grasp why we think anything challenging fossil fuel, suv's, or current health care is unamerican. Hell, he said, passenger trains are unamerican now if you listen to the GOP. He said the Germans are amazed that the original modern democracy is suddenly a perverse corporate operation, which rather than moving to new things spends all it's energy to stay in the past. Germans have looked with admiration to the US off and on for 100 years, and especially since 1945 as a leader in almost every field. But in a few years it changed and our government seems not to be interested in fixing it because corporations are not interested in fixing it. So, China is the new manufacturing and money powerhouse, Germany Japan, and Scandanvia will be the innovators, and the US will be the worlds maniac equipped with nuclear weapons apparently to guard it's 3 million rich.
Oh, forgot to say that I have known this guy for 15 years, this is the first time he was clearly and firmly negative about the GOP and our current business model. He has been slipping from the GOP grasp for a couple years, but now he's gone. Wish I could take credit, but he turned on his own, he was out of work for 2 years, almost lost his house, his wife had health trouble. He watched factories he did business with send work out and put money in their own pockets, when he was desperate he tried to get in on the that and got screwed by a Chinese company he brought business to, he really regrets that too. He just scratched by, lost all his savings, but got a job now, with a German company, they are investing in America.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that somebody is (investing in America). ; )
ReplyDeleteWe have friends from Germany and they can't believe the political/religious mess America has devolved into... But there's money to be made in opposing progress, as long as you're tied to the money making status quo. Innovation always leads, so if we build it, they will follow. Problem is, they're building it and we're not even interested over here.
ReplyDeleteIf the teabagger mentality had been in place for the past century we'd still be using horse and carriages, and buggy whips would be a fine side business to be in.
Get rid of the lobbyists pimps and the whores that take their money - Grover Norquist got a pledge signed by the Republicans to never raise taxes - We The People need to demand a pledge signed too - Not one damned red cent will they take from a lobbyist or special interest group -
ReplyDeletethey will work for those that elected them and not bow to those that fill their campaign coffers with bribe money.
Is that too much to ask? I think not.
Sarge
Oh,
ReplyDeleteFringe got the forwarded emails - I tore Rep. Larry Bucshon (R/In/8) a new ass today.
Do the same with your Representative -demand the above pledge be signed.
Sarge