There is a great debate between those who believe is isolationism (full disclosure – I am one) and those who readily point out the weakness in such a position.
Perhaps we should start out with what my definition of “isolationism” is. 1. No foreign aid. Keep OUR money here for our education; health; infrastructure; lowering the “debt”; 2. Forcing AMERICAN companies to build IN AMERICA to maintain our ability to manufacture things and benefit the workforce. Consider our manufacturing might in the late 1930s and early 1940s. We could convert any factory to manufacture goods to protect ourselves militarily. We can no longer do that. 3. Stay out of other countries “business” – as cruel as this sounds, if they want to kill each other, let them. It is unacceptable for our kids to fight and die in another country because of that country’s internal strife. 4. Create a balanced immigration policy that lets in all whom desire to be here under strict guidelines.
Now, how immature is that. But I’m not the only one who feels that way.
Fast forward to where we are now. There are signs that our country is going the way of Rome regarding the horrendous nature of our politics and culture and, get this, of USSR. If you were to consider USSR’s fall from being a world power in the 80’s, you would see some similarities to our country: 1. a corrupt political system; 2. massive foreign financial aid with little to no return on investment; 3. sticking their nose in other country’s “business” in the name of keeping out Colonial Americanism yet not being able to provide that country with anything but rigged elections and military might to keep those who “loved the USSR” in power; 4. a country where nothing was really manufactured and anything that was manufactured there was garbage quality (I should say, most of the items manufactured in the U.S. are of high quality); 5. leaders who were not respected on the international stage; 6. a weakened military from lack of financial support.
Hmmm.
As of today, China has 1 aircraft carrier. The United States has 12. China was been, for the last decade at least, establishing a pattern of “investing” in other countries, getting them “hooked” on the cheap labor and cost of manufacturing in China, having their citizens relocate to those countries, and then engage in interventionist policies when its citizens were “threatened” abroad. China today is like colonial England of the 1700 and 1800s. It takes natural resources from a country, brings it back to China, and then sells the finished goods back to the originating country. All at a great profit. Reinvesting in itself and building up a massive military complex. But for the fact that China does not have a navy strong enough to enforce its will around the globe, there would be a Chinese flag flying around the world as did British flags in the 1700 and 1800s.
China is now taking it one step further. Its foreign citizens are now digging deep into the local populace, especially in politics, and then acting almost like spies for the Chinese. Consider Yang Jian, a politician in New Zealand with obvious pro-Beijing positions, for odd ties to the Chinese military and intelligence services, and Chinese donations to his political party. Australia is experiencing a similar phenomena.
So, what does all the above have to do with isolationism and reading the signs? We have to get better at “spending our money”. If we’re going to invest in a country, it can’t be with the blood and sweat of American soldiers, the expenditure of our military supplies, and the financial “aid” given to administrations that simply pocket the money and do nothing in return. We have to get a little more selfish and examine “what’s in it for us” before we start throwing our money and kids around. We have to start contracting a little, consolidating a little, concentrating on ourselves first. How can we go out in the world and solve everyone else’s problems when we are barely taking care of ourselves.
Maybe I’m the only one who sees this.
Maybe I’m just very ill informed.
Kevin Driscoll 