America: 10 Big Questions and 10 Honest Answers

by Frank Li

Did you watch the 2012 Republican National Convention as well as the 2012 Democratic National Convention? If yes, are you now confused – whom to believe?

Do not feel very bad about yourself, because many career politicians are professional liars. What about the mainstream media? It is part of the establishment intoxicated in brainwashing!

America is deeply in trouble and here are some simple facts:

1. The poverty level is at a record high (The State of Poverty in America).

2. Our national debt has just exceeded $16,000,000,000,000, namely, more than $50,000 per person for everybody in the U.S.!

3. The official unemployment rate has been above 8% for several years, while the real rate is above 15%, with no relief in sight …

I believe I have the most accurate diagnosis and the best prescription for America. To fully appreciate them, we Americans must be very honest with ourselves. This article tries to do just that. It asks 10 big questions about America today and answers them honestly.

Question 1: Is the Great Recession over?

Yes, the Great Recession was over more than two years ago, according to the official definition. But it’s still here, practically, especially for those 23 millions unemployed.

Question 2: When, then, can we really get out of the Great Recession?

Not within 10 years, unless we dramatically change our course! Why not? Can the morbidly ill have any real hope, without first having a sound diagnosis and then following a strict regimen, however painful (see prescription), to recovery?

Let me repeat: America, as a country, must ask and answer two basic questions:

1. Do other people on earth have the same rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as Americans do?

2. If yes, how can America possibly compete against the emerging economies, which are joining the fray with hundreds of millions of cheap laborers?

Unless these two questions are answered correctly and corresponding actions taken, the Great Recession is the new norm. Do not believe in any easy solutions – they are just more “feel good” lies!

Question 3: How bad can the Great Recession get?

It can be as bad as the Great Depression, or even worse, unless we change our course! Two examples:

1. The job market will not improve in the foreseeable future. Why not? Simple math: with the economy growing at less than 2%, we are unable to accommodate even the population growth!

2. Competition from the emerging economies will only become more fierce.

Question 4: How did we get out of the Great Depression?

WWII, not the massive government spending! Both Presidents Hoover and FDR acknowledged it as a fact!

Question 5: How can we get out of the Great Recession?

Two possible ways:

1. Fundamentally changing America’s political system for the better, starting with the American Presidency, as it already has been suggested.

2. WWIII! Here is an excerpt (slightly updated in wording) from a previous post of mine (Pyramid Theory II):

After all, it was WWII that finally got America out of the Great Depression, although Keynesians like to credit the massive government spending, which was the biggest lie of the 20^th century. In other words, America did win WWII. But more significantly, America’s competitors either destroyed themselves through the war (e.g. Germany and Japan) or screwed themselves up badly by adopting a bad system called “communism” after the war (e.g. China and the Soviet Union). As a result, America was left as the only game in town, making and inventing virtually everything and naming its own prices. This not only got America out of the Great Depression finally, but also created prosperity in America for the ensuing five decades. Analogously, it may well take WWIII to get America out of the Great Recession. The only difference is this time America may be the culprit, as America has both the capability and incentive to provoke WWIII, especially if the neo-cons get their way! In fact, the seeds of WWIII might have already been sowed with the Iraq War.

Most Americans adamantly oppose wars, despite various attempts by both the left (e.g. Death by China) and the right (e.g. US: Missile defense for North Korea threat, not China). So let’s focus on way (1): fundamentally changing America’s political system.

Question 6: Why must the change start with the American Presidency?

Two reasons.

1. It’s rotten up there! For more, read: American Democracy: Massive Falsehoods at The Top and American Presidents: Three Best and Three Worst. Falsehood and incomptence trickle down!

2. Barring a bloody revolution, a fundamental change like this can only start from the top. For more, read: Mitt Romney vs. Deng Xiaoping.

Question 7: How can the change start with the American Presidency?

Elect Mitt Romney the next American President!

Let’s give Mitt Romney a chance for five reasons:

1. Romney is an exceptional leader with “a stellar performance” as a businessman (Romney’s Stellar Performance) and as a governor. He is a rare talent not only in America, but also in the world!

2. Romney is not a career politician. Romney knows who built America: the private sector!

3. Romney is not just a businessman like Ross Perot. Romney served in the public sector.

4. Romney is not a neo-con!

5. President Obama is just not good enough, at best.

Question 8: Is austerity a must?

Yes! Once again, do not believe in any easy solutions – they are just more “feel good” lies!

We have screwed ourselves up so much and for so long that it’s payback time! However, the people should not sacrifice before the politicians do. The politicians will not sacrifice before the President does. So let’s demand that Romney be a great President to set a great example (Romney vs. Deng).

Question 9: Can we invest and grow out of the Great Recession?

No! Our problems are structural. For example, there are now more takers than makers in America (America: from Public Schools to Government, What’s Wrong?)! With the emerging economies joining the fray in the race for prosperity, how hard should, and can, American makers work to keep feeding more and more American takers? In other words, without fixing the structure first, the more we “invest” now by stealing from our future, the harder America will collapse later!

If the tick gets bigger than the dog, they both die!

“When Congress is in session, watch your wallet!” That was for the good old days! Today, when a politician utters the words “investment” or “affordable” (e.g. housing or healthcare), just say “no”. Why? Because they are just euphemisms for giveaways in exchange for votes! What about “growth”? Again, do not be fooled! There is no way to grow America’s economy at a real recovery pace of more than 2.5%, without first changing course and fixing the structure!

Question 10: Why is the structure so wrong?

It’s the political system, stupid! The world has changed a lot, but we have not! We have been sleeping on the same political system for more than 200 years!

American politicians work exclusively for themselves first, their constituents a remote second, and their country dead last! They spend our money like it’s theirs, for one purpose only: getting themselves re-elected! Still wondering why our national debt has already exceeded $16,000,000,000,000? Wonder not! Our money has been used to buy votes for them!

Change or fail!

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About this Author

Frank Li is the Founder and President of W.E.I. (West-East International), a Chicago-based import & export company. Frank received his B.E. from Zhejiang University (China) in 1982, M.E. from the University of Tokyo in 1985, and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1988, all in Electrical Engineering. He worked for several companies until 2004, when he founded his own company W.E.I. Today, W.E.I. is a leader in the weighing industry not only in products & services, but also in thought and action.

Dr. Li writes extensively and uniquely on politics, for which he has been called “a modern-day Thomas Jefferson” (see page 31).