But here’s what’s new: The rich parts of China, the modern parts of Beijing or Shanghai or Dalian, are now more state of the art than rich America. The buildings are architecturally more interesting, the wireless networks more sophisticated, the roads and trains more efficient and nicer. And, I repeat, they did not get all this by discovering oil. They got it by digging inside themselves.
Back to reality. You, the Left, bitch chronically about the differences between the haves and have-nots in the USA. Well, I have news -- in China, that difference is far more dramatic.
With an median annual income of maybe $2,000, a total lack of any kind of primary health care (that is, you to the hospital when you're sick and see if you can get any treatment), only recently evolving infrastructure in many areas, comparing China with America is as much an apples-and-oranges comparison as you can get.
China doesn't have to deal with an incompetent Congress; its leadership does what the hell it wants to. You want to go that route?
China can put on a $50 Billion Olympic show, but 40% of its wealth is concentrated in the hands of TEN people.
If China is what you guys want, including Friedman, I recommend you go participate. It isn't what most Americans want. It is not the country we want to model ours after. |
