It's the 4th of July

As we approach what some call “America’s Birthday”, July 4th Independence Day, it might be good to take a few minutes and take a close look at the state of our Union, our State and our Communities. We’ve certainly seen better times on many levels. Our national and local economies are straining under the changing dynamics of the social and economic norms of the past. There’s a thousand pound gorilla in the room by the name of China! China with its overwhelming population has not only come out of the dark ages, it has raced to our doorstep as an economic and manufacturing superpower. If you want to visit China without the need for a passport, just ride down the Berlin/Gorham road to Walmart. Just about every item in this one stop shopping place has a label that says, “MADE IN CHINA”. What makes that trip even more interesting are two things. First, you will see people in their 50’s and 60’s working for just above minimum wage, former mill workers working for less than half of their former wages. Second is the fact that the Berlin/Gorham road which was paved a year or so ago, was probably paved with money that the US government borrowed from China. Now take Berlin’s so called economic salvation, the Federal Prison, built at the cost of around $250M (some call it pork) was basically built with money from China. How long are we going to make believe that this gorilla hasn’t moved in? I know I’m oversimplifying the issue by targeting China, the same can be said about South Korea, India and several other countries. Recently I listened to a Chinese economist who was speaking about the unemployment issue in the US. He was making the case that the Chinese exports to the US was having a serious impact on the unemployment levels here in the US and, that this condition is unsustainable. The economist asked the question; “How long will the citizens of the US tolerate these conditions?” He was making the case for China to adjust its currency and promote domestic consumption before there was a social and economic upheaval in the US. In spite of the optimistic and softened tone of the latest “mayor’s report” (did he hire a writer?), the future of Berlin and the North Country will continue to challenge our imaginations. Like it or not, there’s no way to bring back “them good ole days” when the mills in Berlin/Gorham/Groveton put more than $100M/yr in our North Country economy. How will future generations earn a living in this region? It’s a question that we all need to think about.  …..Now shooing that Chinese gorilla out of the room won’t be an easy task since our corporations are making record profits from their sweetheart deals in China and, we don’t seem to mind putting our neighbors out of work by buying cheap foreign goods. On July 4^th we all need to take a moment to think of those who came before us and how they provided us with the standard of living we now enjoy. The rhetoric of “jobs, jobs, jobs, just doesn’t cut it.

Comments

[warren,]

Nothing will change as regards Our problem with China unless America has a REAL July 4th event and Sheds the Illusion of choice that is Our Two Party Political System...and THAT is asking the Herculean/Impossible Task. In other words we're looking at Our Future, which is Economic Slavery. What happens if you owe a lot of money to the Mafia?? Do you really think China will forgive our looming Default?

[warren,]

China's official state media reported Wednesday that artist Ai Weiwei has been released from detainment, though the exact terms of his release remain unclear. Ai had been in detainment since early April, when he was seized by Chinese authorities while trying to travel from Beijing to Hong Kong.

The Xinhua news agency, which is controlled by China's Communist party, said that Ai is out on bail after admitting guilt over charges of tax evasion and agreeing to pay the amount he allegedly owes. Reuters separately confirmed the report with the artist's sister, Gao Ge, who said she had spoken with Ai's wife, Lu Qing.

"I can tell you he's returned to his own home," Gao told Reuters.

Chinese state media also reported that Ai's release was related to a "chronic disease" from which he suffers as well as a "good attitude in confessing his crimes."

The Associated Press reported that Ai was being detained under residential surveillance somewhere outside Beijing.

Many of Ai's supporters in China and the West believe his imprisonment was retaliation for the artist's criticism of the Chinese government and his activism in the realms of free speech and human rights.

Ai has repeatedly criticized the government for its handling of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in which many children perished due to poorly constructed school facilities. He has taken to Twitter and other forms of social media to communicate his views.

News of his arrest in April caused a widespread show of support among artists and cultural leaders throughout the world.

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-- David Ng

Associated Press

Twitter: @culturemonster

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