To compete, we have to "make things" that others cannot. IMHO this will require a major resurrection of one of the key factors that led to this country's predominance: American ingenuity, coupled with a disciplined work ethic, a strong tendency to help others, and an uncontainable urge to do the best we possibly can at everything. So, the most important "natural resource" is really the same as it has always been: the American people.
Service industries are not likely to contribute much to that.
And... generating a generation of government bean counters, pencil pushers, and arguepigs will be counterproductive. Just ask the Germans. Their economy is going nowhere in a hurry, partly because it makes no economic sense for many Germans to work, partly because so much of the GDP has moved from production to providing benefits for its citizens, partly because German government has become so huge. Most people in Germany now work directly or indirectly for the government, creating an ironic circular flow of goods and services, with relentlessly diminishing tangible product coming out the other end. The only reason the DAX has not taken prolonged nosedive is because German corporations are smart enough to export their operations, and are really "German" in name only in most cases. The new Volkswagen, for example, is manufactured in Eastern Europe, and shipped to the US. They never even see German soil. The upshot is that in general, "German" corporations profit, but Germany and its people profit increasingly less, and remain mired in ever-deepening recession. I think they'll go the way of Japan and stay in recession for a decade at least, because (just as was the case with Japan) there is no real economic incentive for German leadership to create true reform.
Also.... (is it just me?)... it seems to me that American culture has shifted over the last few decades towards a distinct encouragement of consumption, sloth, greed, easy living. That is always a self-defeating development, the most infamous example of that being the ancient Romans. It is just not "cool" anymore to work your ass off to be the best you possibly can be. It is not "cool" to help one another. It is not "cool" to be an anonymous team member persistently contributing to the good of the team. It IS increasingly "cool" to get all you can and screw the other guy. It IS "cool" to laze away time doing absolutely nothing useful.
I am not assigning any evil motives towards media, or corporate America, or anybody else. I think they probably reflect trends more than they instigate them. But whatever the reason, I don't view these things as anything other than counterproductive in the long run.
Me, I can't see how either major candidate will even begin address any of this. Even if they were thinking about it, I doubt there is any incentive to try to do anything, considering that "he who pays the piper calls the tune." It is not even a campaign issue, which says a lot to me.
JMVHO, of course.... your mileage may vary.
T |
