“Hard times don’t build character – they reveal it.”
— Unknown
“May you live in interesting times.”
— Chinese curse
The titanically stupid China Virus global shutdown – has caused many tens of millions of us to reexamine the national and international status quo.
Beaten in to US heads for decades? Globalism – and its resulting decades-long decline in US jobs, wages and standards of living – is “the new normal.”
Globalization and the New Normal (The International Monetary Fund)
We have been told we were a nation in decline – and the only thing to do was properly manage it.
“Examples of managed decline include the handling of the textiles, shipbuilding, coal and steel industries in North America…in the 1980s….”
America Must Manage Its Decline
The Decline of the West: Why America Must Prepare for the End of Dominance
Ex-president Barack Obama was a virulent globalist. Who insisted we sit quietly and continue to take our medicine.
President Obama Chooses Decline for America
President Obama’s Perfect Plan for the Economic Decline of America
Obama’s Era of Decline: How Will He Manage…?
Obama Says ‘Jobs Are Just Not Coming Back’
Obama Says Manufacturing Jobs Aren’t Coming Back
Obama: Jobs NOT Coming Back Under Trump
Trump – is Obama presidential successor Donald Trump. He begged to differ. So too did Reality.
Trump Adds 298,000 Jobs in First Month
The Trump Manufacturing Jobs Boom: 10 Times Obama’s Over 21 Months
This Chart Shows Jobs in Industries Like Mining and Construction Are Thriving Under Trump
President Trump was on all of this – long before he became President Trump.
Trump’s correct assessment of the main reason for all the US decline? Really awful trade deals.
Here Trump is on the Oprah Winfrey show – circa 1988:
“I do get tired of seeing the country ripped off….I do get tired of seeing what’s happening….How we’re really making other people live like kings while we’re not….I think people are tired of seeing the United States ripped off.”
Donald Trump: NAFTA Is Worst Trade Deal Ever Signed
Trump: (Trans-Pacific Partnership) TPP Was a Bad Deal for the Country
Former Trump campaign manager and advisor Stephen Bannon summed up Trump’s trade policy:
“The elites shipped the jobs overseas – and I’ll bring them back.”
And some of us have been right there with him.
We Need to Finally Delineate Between Fake ‘Free’ Trade – and Really Stupid Trade
Getting to Actual Free Trade Ain’t Easy – But It’s Necessary
Fake Free Trade: More Government There – Means Economic Destruction Here
The worst actor in the world – for decades – has been Communist China.
About whom Trump has also long been correct:
“We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country. And that’s what they’re doing. It’s the greatest theft in the history of the world.”
“Since 2012, the average annual trade deficit with China has been $355 billion.
“Which means since 2012, we have dumped $2.49 TRILLION out of our country – and into Communist China.
“Now, trade deficits are a not-entirely-perfect example of the robbery. We do save some money taking advantage of Communist China’s slave labor – rather than having American companies hire American citizens to do the work.
“But on the main – I think it is almost inarguable the US would be much better off if that $2.5-trillion-since-2012 hadn’t left the US.
“Even if it means paying an additional $20 for your flat screen television.”
And now that the Communist Chinese have gifted the planet with COVID-19 – our trade and mental deficiencies are even further on display.
The Coronavirus Outbreak Is an Economic Red Flag:
“The world has given over much of its manufacturing supply chain to China. That has magnified vulnerability to a pandemic shock.”
You don’t say.
Coronavirus Outbreak Exposes China’s Monopoly on U.S. Drug, Medical Supplies:
“The coronavirus outbreak has exposed the United States’ dangerous dependence on China for pharmaceutical and medical supplies, including an estimated 97 percent of all antibiotics and 80 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients needed to produce drugs in the United States.”
Seriously – how titanically stupid is that?
Here’s a List of Countries that Received Faulty Coronavirus Medical Supplies from China
It’s that stupid.
DHS Report Accuses China of Hiding Coronavirus Info So It Could Hoard Supplies
It’s really very stupid.
The U.S. Military’s Greatest Weakness? China ‘Builds’ a Huge Chunk of It:
“What could possibly go wrong?”
We’ve been saying for many years:
When we go to war with Communist China – and we almost certainly will – it will be the first conflict in history where one side…paid for both sides.
Seriously – how titanically stupid is all of that?
And Communist China’s poison – is spreading.
China’s Seaport Shopping Spree: What China Is Winning By Buying Up The World’s Ports
With Acquisition of California Port, China Broadens Influence on US Commerce
How the heck did we let that happen?
China Buys Panama’s Largest Port
As in, you know, the Panama Canal.
Chinese Firms Now Hold Stakes in over a Dozen European Ports
So even if China isn’t supplying US with something – they are controlling whether or not we get that something from somewhere else.
Pharmaceutical Shipping Costs Spike in Response to Global COVID-19 Pandemic:
“AAM Survey of bio-similars and generic drug manufacturers reveals average of 224% increase in cost of transporting drugs.”
We MUST roll back this Communist China global control.
Which means we MUST remove the engine powering Communist China’s ongoing global expansion.
Which is our money.
We Should Sell to – But Not Buy From – Communist China
Trump Administration Pushing to Rip Global Supply Chains from China
Trump’s Plan to Remove US Dependency on China Supply Chain
And what’s even more important than medical drugs and supplies? And military materials?
Food:
“Before we can do anything else – we gotta eat.
“Have we been relying on Communist China for a heaping helping of our food supply? Of course we have – because we are the Fools of the World.
“How’s that going?
“China’s Food Safety Issues Worse Than You Thought
“20 Foods Imported from China that Are Raising Some Serious Questions
“On the Radar: 10 Dangerous Foods from China
“These 10 Toxic Food Items Made in China are Very Dangerous for Your Health
“Beware of These 9 Foods from China that Could Be Contaminated
“China’s Food Safety Problems Go Deeper Than Pet Treats
“Deadly Poison Found In Baby Food
“China Dairy Products Found Tainted with Melamine
“China’s Poisoned Milk Scandal: Is Sorry Enough?
“Outstanding.
“Heck – it was Chinese food that likely started the global pandemic.
“Deadly Virus Finds a Breeding Ground in China’s Food Markets
“Why ‘Wet Markets’ Persisted in China Despite Disease and Hygiene Concerns
“Has Communist China learned this particular lesson? Heavens no.
“Chinese ‘Wet Markets’ Reportedly Open Back Up, Selling Bats and Dogs for Human Consumption
“Outstanding.
“Communist China doesn’t take the food safety of its own people seriously.
“Why on Earth would we think they would take the food safety of our people seriously?
“And by the way:
“If you think Communist China is the exception to the rule – and the other nations of the world are paragons of sustenance hygiene – here’s your Fool of the World sign.
“If there is a single commodity for which we should absolutely ensure full-on domestic production – it’s food.
“We thus must provide maximum protection for our food manufacturers.
“And reestablish government policies – that again make food manufacturing a more attractive career choice.
“And by ‘food manufacturers’ – we of course mean farmers, ranchers and all our other nutrient producers.”
Because, again:
When we’re not getting toxic food from Communist China – we are subjecting our food imports to Communist China control at the very many ports around the world Communist China controls.
All of which – is titanically stupid.
So….
We Must Foster Domestic Food Manufacturers
Please.
This first appeared in Red State.