The California Republic

The California Republic

#California #Eureka #PacificRimEmpire  

   On January 24th, 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill and after Marshall declared, "Eureka!" the rush was on.  Rumors of immense wealth spawned the massive migration of speculators and ambitious opportunists from around the globe.  Today, California is among the most prosperous regions of the world and the global leader in innovation, culture and academia.   

    The capital city, of Sacramento is home to our State's extensive government structures and home to a working class populace that never lets a day pass without productivity.   San Francisco was home to .com boom and continues to be a leader in innovation, home to some of the most successful internet based companies.  Oakland, the port of miracles, where in World War II a battleship a day was built, continues to be significant port for world Trade, has the Pacific Rim Empire flourishes with robust trade between Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Korea riding between Mexico, USA and Canada.  Many of those goods go threw the Oakland ports, where they are unloaded and placed on train or truck to be shipped to marketplaces across the country.  San Jose and Santa Clara's silicon valley are home to some of the most prosperous companies in the world, anything to do with internet, the computer, software or hi-tech had a crucial portion of its development with a company in the Silicon Valley.  Whether its Google or Oracle, Facebook or Apple, they started and continued to be headquartered in the SV.  

    Los Angeles is the center of American Entertainment: the land of Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Malibu.  Many of the movies and TV shows consumed around the world are filmed in Los Angeles, almost all of them run threw LA at some point on their path to your movie theater or plasma screen.  Los Angeles is also a leader in all things relating to media and advertising, with many of the top firms centered in the city of angels.   The ports of Long Beach only add to the immense wealth and trade flowing through the prosperous coastal cities of California.  

   San Diego brings an entirely different feel, a once small town the city has swelled as it has become the most significant city for the Department of Defense on the West Coast with major naval and military bases supplying a diverse and disciplined populace to a range of entrepreneurial ventures ranging from Drones to Biotech.  The golden triangle is home to some of the most successful genetic research, such as the work done at Illumina, to military suppliers such as General Atomics.  California's contributions to the aerospace industry is unparalleled.  

    The central parts of California are known as the breadbasket of the West.  From the farms up above Napa down threw Bakersfield, some of the finest produce grown, from wines rivaling France to naturally grown fresh strawberries rivaling the most elaborate of deserts for taste.  San Luis Obisbo is home to the world's best cattle ranches and tri-tip has become synonymous with Santa Maria.  There is not a single product that California does not produce, and produce of higher quality than anywhere else in the world.  

     There are other gems, such as Santa Barbara, referred to as the California Riviera with its fine dining, its movie stars and beautiful coastal mountain range.  The Sierra's are packed with snow from early autumn to late spring and the ski resorts are among the world's best.  The northern part of the state is full of forests, gorgeous lakes and spacious getaways from the crowded Southern half of the state. 

     With Jerry Brown as Governor, California has resolved the budget issues it was facing and will continue to set the bar for excellence.  Socially progressive, the key to California's success has long been its University System.  Public Ivy's like UCLA, UC Berkley, UCLA, UCSB and UCSD make for a talent pool unlike another.  The culture of innovation and entrepreneurship combined with a  confidence that with hard work and focus anything is possible has made California the Global Leader in business, culture and progressive society.  Don't believe the haters, the frustrated migrants who could't hang with the big boys, California as a state has the largest GDP in the United States, contributes more young men and women to the armed forces and pays more taxes than any other State in the Union.     We are the leaders of the World, actively creating tomorrow's world, pointing the direction for society and elevating the standards of living for people everywhere.   California, stand up!  

How America Can Help Mexico's Emergency Response

#Ingrid #Manuel #Acapulco #Mexico #Tropical Depression #Hurricane 

    With hurricanes and tropical depressions ripping the shores of Mexico the American Government needs to show some overtures of diplomacy beyond a contribution to the American Cross.  I'd advise sending some coast guard ships down to Acapulco with helicopters capable of assisting in rescue options, providing some malaria medications and FEMA emergency response teams to coordinate humanitarian relief.  It also may be necessary to send in some extra DEA officers to help contain whatever crime epidemics may move in resulting from the distraction of police forces by the storm. 

    There is also an opportunity for banks, construction workers and building suppliers to seek contract work to rebuild any homes that have been destroyed.  The Mexican Government should help guarantee loans to families that have lost their homes to help rebuild according to stricter building codes capable of withstanding hurricanes or earthquakes.  America should of course listen to the market and to Mexican Government as to what type of help and support they need. 

The National Security Agency #NSA

Behind the Scenes at the National Security Agency

 #NSA 

   With so much hoopla about NSA stemming from Eric Snowden scandals it is important to consider the realities of our National Security Issues and understand the decision making of other NSA contractors.  I don't want to expose the identity; however, I've had the opportunity to work closely with an NSA contractor and he recently surprised me by his candid stories about his work.  Their assignment was to help an elderly woman, that in her senility was constantly placing her life peril by engaging in high risk activities.  Presumably the constant calls to the fire department or police department and emergency response calls required a change in strategy and closer monitoring.  The NSA as a result contracted our unnamed hero to place sensors throughout her house to warn her when she was engaging in high risk activities.  

    What they saw was a mess, an old woman barely able to care for herself, in constant depression, unwilling to move into a retirement home.  While the NSA member was supposed to avoid intervening, as a matter of science, the subject was obviously in severe distress and so the care was made to be sure she was comfortable.  Depressed by the news and what she called, "Warfare and Propaganda," he had her write out her hundred favorite movies of all time and picked them up for her so that they played on a loop on her tv.  Seeing that she would buy water, then not remember that it was new and throw it out assuming their were bacteria growing in it, he bought her a particular top that could be opened and closed to keep the water fresh and ease her anxiety over whether the water was drinkable.  He helped work with her on improving her diet to be sure she remembered to eat healthy.  They also of course were able to monitor and notify her to stop, when she was doing something high risk over by the stairs.  

   Its these types of stories from the NSA that we do not here enough.  Its these type of stories that remind us that their are good intelligent people out there they may know a lot about us and have technologies to know what we are doing, that are not going to use them for evil and malfease.  So the key to NSA is finding the individuals that are capable of such care, such compassion and concern for society and as a Democratic Republic, to hire, empower and promote such individuals within our Government Structures.   

    

#Kenya #Syria #Somalia

    With the what can best be described as a coup d'etat in Egypt ousting the Muslim Brotherhood from power, the viability of promoting a false facade of democracy in the Middle East is dwindling. There is simply no way that our negotiators can tell the more forgivable elements of varying Islamists that by working in the political process they can create the changes they want. It was a tragic error to allow the Muslim Brotherhood, or for that matter, any other democratically elected Islamists as in Tunisia or Hamas in Gaza, without first creating constitutions that protect minority groups and provide for adequate governmental institutions as a matter of law. The truth is, the poorer portions of the Middle East lack the preconditions for democracy to work and so America has been forced to shift its strategy from spreading democracy to establishing the pre-conditions of democracy for future generations. America needs to stay out of high risk/low payoff war zones, by instead improving its technical and intelligence support for acceptable regional partners that are competent, capable and willing to address America's security and economic priorities. This is the realist truth, that as Americans, we must accept. From the words of Bin Laden, he dragged us into Afghanistan because it was, “the Graveyard of Empires,” and our intercepts have shown an adoption of a low-cost bleeding strategy aimed at weakening the America's economy. For Syria, Yemen, Somalia, make no humanitarian delusions, there are good people suffering that as humans we would like to help, but as a country at war that is trying to survive in an anarchic international game of self interest, American military presence is not going to help, it is only going to distract resources and drain assets that are better used elsewhere while exposing our sons and daughters to unacceptable levels of harm at unaffordable costs for unclear advantageous ends.

     The appropriate strategy, therefore, is to bolster our support for the new Libyan government, for Nigeria, for the Egyptian Interim leadership, for the Saudis (albeit, with better tracking of the direction of their money and resources), for the Omanis, for the Jordanians, for the Quataris, for the Bahrainis, for the Kuwaitis, for the United Arab Emirates, for the Iraqis and for the Turkish so that those counties can secure and profitably manage their resources to begin investing in the development of the Middle East's problem children while continuing to elevate the technocracies and meritocracies of the future. Providing for the future posterity, defending prosperity and allowing for the development of the conditions that foster the allure of terror and radical islamist movements will require the occasional special forces operation, CIA intelligence cells, State Department Contracts, Military bases, clandestine actions and Corporate contracts when mutually beneficial.  All of these should continue to occur indefinitely, and America and the civilian populations of our allies need to find the resolve to continue and carry on in the face of an enemy determined to inflict wanton destruction on the competent and civilized. If clandestine actions and drones can help America win small battles that prevent large wars, than responsible leadership must continue using them to protect our population and the acceptable regional governments of our allies. America needs to be bold in its willingness to fight fire with fire, and respond to incidents of aggression not with retaliation of scale, but retaliation of magnitude, its not tooth for a tooth that will win, its tooth for your entire lower jaw that intimidate and defeat these types of enemies. This is the culture of the Middle East, and our aggressive response is what will earn the masses respect and fidelity.

   In Kenya, with the mall shoot-out, we're seeing a tragic shift in the tactics of our enemy that has increasingly moved away from suicide bombings to planned military style attacks with machine guns. This is alarming, as the tactic is much more effective in wreaking havoc, more difficult to combat and dreadfully challenging to defend against. The affected populaces need to show resolve as security measures are improved and the fight must be taking to our enemy. Our enemy must learn that attacks on civilian populations will only undermine a group's base of support and inspire massive retaliation that devastates and decays the enemies war-fighting capabilities.  I am a peace loving person, but these actions push us beyond compassion and guide our hands towards the previously unfathomable. I pray for peace, but caution that it is war we must prepare for.     

The Origins of American Muscle

American Muscle

As America transformed herself from a young collection of independent colonies on the eastern seaboard to an impressive nation spanning from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean with no regional rivals and immense potential, her foreign policy undoubtedly changed. At the turn of the 20^th century, the nation that was born out of resistance to imperial oppression and dedicated to an isolationist foreign policy would seize colonies extending from the Philippines to Cuba. Though interventions could be justified through humanitarian claims and annexation justified by national security it was clear that America had become an imperial power. While at the surface this shift in policy may seem hypocritical and ironic realist theories provide a framework in which the change seems sensible. At the turn of the 20^th century, America shifted her foreign policy from one of neutrality and isolationism to aggressive imperialism because America’s tremendous resources and growing prosperity and population made it capable of competing with any rival imperial power.

In the early years of the nation America was dedicated to neutrality and used the vast oceans to isolate herself from the toils that bothered Europe. In George Washington’s Farewell address he asked;

“Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor, or caprice? (George Washington, Farewell Address to the People of the United States)”

There are several plausible motivations that could have caused America to choose to such a policy. The American culture at this time seemed to possess an antipathy towards imperialism. This antipathy was fostered by the experiences of Americans during the colonial period. The war for American independence was in all ways a war against imperialism and the oppression that coincides with it. It is clearly plausible then that a disposition against imperialism was maintained in the American culture which caused America to adopt a policy of neutrality. While this mentality is clear in the rhetoric of George Washington it seems more probable that the principle reason for neutrality was one of logistical purpose. America was a young unstable nation trying to define itself in an anarchic world. The oceans kept America relatively safe from invasion and afforded her the ability to isolate herself and shift her focus to western expansion and economic growth.

Though the nation was ripped apart and devastated by the civil war, the 19^th century was generally a century of tremendous growth and enduring peace. As the young nation continued to define her self there was little reason for America to shift her foreign policy. In 1821, speaking on intervention in international affairs, John Quincy Adams suggested that;

“[America’s] glory is not dominion, but liberty. Her march is the march of the mind. She has a spear and a shield: but the motto upon her shield is, Freedom, Independence, Peace. This has been her Declaration: this has been, as far as her necessary intercourse with the rest of mankind would permit, her practice. (John Q. Adams, Warning Against the Search for Monsters to Destroy)”

The logistical isolationism continued to be supported on moral premises. America began to have a definite definition of her self which separated her in spirit from her European contemporaries. This period of isolation allowed America to develop a strong economy and populate the West. Neutrality allowed the nation to build a solid foundation on which she could build. The coming era would reveal how the United States intended to build.

As the Spanish empire continued to weaken at the turn of the 20^th century America was given an enticing opportunity to make gains in the Caribbean, the Pacific and in South and Central America. America had upheld the Monroe Doctrine for some time and had the increasing muscle to enforce it more rigorously. America generally supported colonial independence movements but was careful not to engage the Imperial powers in all out conflict by making territorial grabs. In 1898 this would all change. While America tried to stay neutral in the escalating conflict between Spain and its colony in Cuba humanitarian atrocities along with the sinking of an American ship in Cuba prompted decisive action. McKinnley would end the hundred plus years of isolationism that defined the federal period and birth American Imperialism. In bloody yet generally decisive combat America crushed the weakening Spanish forces and took control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. During this same period America also took control of Hawaii, Samoa and Wake Island. America was all of a sudden an imperial power. While Cuba was taken out of humanitarian purposes and Hawaii for clear defensive purposes against Japan, the decision to take the Philippines had more drastic implications;

“The Decision to annex the Philippines touched off a wave of protest, spearheaded by the anti-imperialist league. Most anti-imperialists were not against expansion, favoring acquisitions within the western hemisphere and the retention of naval bases elsewhere. But the annex of a distant, sprawling archipelago inhabited by diverse and alien peoples aroused their opposition for it represented a clear break with past policies. The US had never acquired territory that could not be eventually admitted as states, and if it meddled in the Far East, it could not reasonably forbid other from meddling in the Americas. (Allan R. Millet and Peter Maslowski For the Common Defense, p. 301) ”

Defending such a colony would de difficult and expensive. To maintain such an effort America would have to greatly increase the size of her military establishment and begin a general trend of militarization that was avoided in past decades. America also confirmed her suspicions that she was now not only capable of competing with the European powers regionally but throughout the world.

Though America was participating in imperial expansion at this time she was never fully comfortable with this role. America’s origins morally demanded her to not partake in the oppressive and exploitative imperialism of her European rivals. This reality made it difficult for anyone to justify avaricious land grabs to the American people. Such grabs had to be justified with higher moral goals. In 1904, Theodore Roosevelt justified the shifting foreign policy saying;

“Generally peace tells for righteousness; but if there is conflict between the two, then our fealty is due first to the cause of righteousness. Unrighteous wars are common, and unrighteous peace is rare; but both should be shunned. The right of freedom and the responsibility for the exercise of that right can not be divorced. One of our great poets has well and finely said that freedom is not a gift that tarries long in the hands of cowards. (Theodore Roosevelt, The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine)”

At this time America realized she could make huge gains by annexing strategic territories. She did this with self constraint however, and was careful not to over-extend herself. In the coming decades America would decelerate her foreign policy from one of outright imperialism to a mild expansionism. America was a world power competing at the international level and acting as it had to act in the anarchic world.

America took up this daring foreign policy because she understood that if she wanted to maintain her autonomy she would have to be able to defend herself from the rising powers of Japan and Germany. There was a power vacuum occurring as Spain receded and America new it had to seize a large portion of the power pie or else someone else would. The oceans were quickly shrinking and Japan and Germany were emerging as real threats that needed to be countered. While there sadly was devastation inflicted on the native peoples of the American colonies this devastation paled in comparison to the devastation that could have potentially been inflicted by other imperial powers (both to the native populations and to the American people themselves). America would grow to enjoy flexing her muscles but not in the way Imperial Europe had in the past. America would not forget her experiences as the marginalized victim of imperialism and as a result chose to create her own path through history in which she uses her tremendous muscle to defend and extend the progressive ideals and institutions from which she was built. America would go on to fight for fair trade, open seas, democracy, autonomy and the freedom of those oppressed by Germany and the Ottoman Empire during WWI. While the enemies have changed and the size of American muscle has grown, her mission today largely remains the same;

“What we demand in this war, therefore, is nothing peculiar to ourselves. It is that the world be made fit and safe to live in; and particularly that it be made safe for every peace-loving nation which, like our own, wishes to live its own life, determine its own institutions, be assured of justice and fair dealing by the other peoples of the world as against force and selfish aggression. (Woodrow Wilson, “14 Points”)”

written by:

Theo Johnson

01/26/04

The Origins of American Muscle

Breakthrough in Syria talks. #Syria #Putin #Obama #UN #ChemicalWeapons #WMDs

   There are two books you should read, one called "Blink" and another called "Wait."  There are times when trusting your first instinct is best, quick rational or impulsive decisions, and others when its better to let it sit and allow for time to make a better or choice or for some other option to emerge.  Barack Obama could have ordered the strikes against Syria, but instead he made a decision to strike Syria and wait for Congressional and Senate approval.  With a majority of high ranking republicans and democrats supporting him, he could have hit, but he waited.  And in this, their has been a breakthrough in a Russian proposal to facilitate the chemical weapons to be handed over to the CWC which Syria's foreign minister has accepted.  

    While there are serious issues to this proposal that disarmament experts need to be working on, this is a perfect example of how tough diplomacy can work when you give the adversary your negotiating with a means of saving face with their populace.  This is not over, and if the process of disarmament stalls then Barack Obama will order the launch, but with prompt momentum and serious resolutions with systematic means of verification than the tension of the situation can be defused and the immediate security threat resolved in a diplomatic way that doesn't bring America into another country's civil war.  

    Barack Obama played this hand flawlessly, his coolness and poise in high-stakes international negotiations is an asset to the American People that they too often selfishly begrudge.  Even Fox news posted a poll showing 60% approval on his handling of the crisis.  Impressive work Barack, keep up the good work!   

America's Evolving Strategy in the Middle East

#Congressional Vote of Syria Resolution #Democratic Party #Syria #Assad #Barack Obama 

     The hours are counting down for Bashar Assad to step down from power in Syria.  His exit is the only hope for a peaceful and political resolution to the civil war in Syria.  His use of Chemical weapons is appalling and the fact that Al-Qaeda aligned fighters are active on the ground does not undermine the validity of other rebel's grievances or the inexcusable actions already taken by Bashar Assad.  Bombing his own people and using chemical weapons is not something that we can ever accept and if his actions go unpunished, America's future credibility in deterring future rogue leaders and dictators will be severely weakened.  Do we want to live in a world where rogue leaders around the world believe that they can use weapons of mass destruction against their own people with impunity?  Do we want to signal to Iran that pursuing Nuclear Weapons is acceptable and will not be punished?  Do we want to show the world that America has forfeited its sovereignty to the United Nations and Russia's self interested votes to protect their naval bases in Syria and protect is financial client?  I cannot responsibly stand back and say yes to any of these questions and what is worse is the obstinate obstruction of political foot dragging for what is purely political gain without any regard for the security needs of USA.  

    Syria poses a direct threat to both our allies in the region and the United States because if those chemical weapons fall into the hands of Al-Qaeda or elements of Hezbollah supporting Assad, they could potentially be used against America  as Assad's regime collapses.  Allowing Assad to use them again against innocent civilians is morally reprehensible and so appeasement is not an option.  The ham in hand cannot be our answer to destroying the elements of Al-Qaeda in Syria, Assad must go, but if a political solution is possible, than all the easier to use the experienced individuals of the Baathist regime in the formation of a new government and the use of the Syrian army to fight al-Qaeda.  As those missiles begin to hit their targets, Assad will cower and the generals in his army will be looking for a deal.  America- we must not back down on our values and virtues- we must be resolute and stand with resolve in our opposition to the appalling human rights abuses perpetrated by Assad's regime.  America may not need to play cop in this, but it does need to play referee and degrading Assad's chemical weapons capabilities is the appropriate calculated response and it necessary for the severe security threat those chemical weapons in the hands of a collapsing regime pose.  

   This is not an action that will put American troops in harms way, this is not an action that is going to lead to escalation in the level of war fighting America has been waging, it is a punitive punishment for an unacceptable breach of international norms and America's responsibility as world leader of merit, to execute a measured retaliation.  

    It is my hope that Assad steps down tomorrow, that he accepts an exiled retirement in another country- perhaps Russia or Iran- and that an agreement with tolerable elements of the rebels and the current Baathist regime in Syria can be made.    

   It is my severe regret that Democracy failed in Egypt and in a way feel the allowance of Morsi's ousting was act of sabotage to a delicate strategy requiring finesse and understanding of the different groups within the Arab world, but with the events where they are, America needs to shift its goals in the Middle East away from democracy and towards establishing the pre-requisites of democracy.  On Egypt, Morsi talked, but in practice, he failed to defend minority rights and provide adequate constitutional protections, the cause of his downfall.  I cannot commend the actions of the Egyptian army, but after seeing the effect of sanctioning in Mali, and despite the eventual success of operations there, I regret that at this point America needs to back the intern regime.  With that our strategy officially must shift from a democracy of votes in the Middle East to an emphasis on the development of pseudo-democratic institutions necessary for democracy, rates of literacy, free press, mass communications, security, math and the sciences, infrastructure, economic development, legal protections for minority groups, independent courts and freedom of religion before we can force democracy on populations that may not have the technocracy, personnel and training to provide the adequate standards of living necessary to prevent these types of violent uprising and wars.   

   If Al-Qaeda's strategy is to bleed us to death and suck us in to tough fights with mutual enemies, America should save their energies, make the statement of 60 tomahawk cruise missiles at Assad's regime in Syria while also targeting Al-Qaeda affiliated elements of the resistance.  America needs to double down on Libya, prop up our regional allies and push to open Iran in dialogue, holding them accountable for their nuclear energy program and demanding they place open circuit cameras on ALL of their nuclear reactors so that the security council can view them at all times and know with certainty that they are not being used to make warheads.  Optimistically, such can be rewarded this time, with the end of sanctions against Iran and a period of acceptable peace.  The open circuit camera's on ALL iranian nuclear reactors is the only way I can guarantee devastating military actions will not be taken.  This is not a time for diplomatic relations with enemies, you either ride with us or are against us.  This is a time where the democratic party needs to show loyalty to our president and for the sensible and respectable republicans to avoid partisan tactics.  Our allies in Israel, particularly Benjamin Netanyahu needs to show that he has Obama's back as Obama has publicly declared defending Israel.  Jordan, Turkey, France, England, Nato members, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Libya, we appreciate your support.   

     And so, the strategy you ask for now, is to invest in the institutions that will put the Middle East on the path to democracy, while prioritizing efforts with the countries capable of higher levels of financial self-sufficiency and using lower cost, punitive measures against the tough enemies of little strategic value such Yemen and Somalia.  It is my prayer and my expectation, that Congress and Senate vote in overwhelming numbers to back our popularly elected president, Barack Obama, and provide him the exact resolution he has requested on Syria so that missile strikes on military command's prioritized targets can commence.  

On Grounds of National Security #G20 Summit

On Grounds of National Security

   Our enemies, most notably Al-Qaeda, but also gamut of geo-political adversaries have identified America's Economy as its center of gravity.  Al-Qaeda has spelled out a strategy of 1000 cuts to slowly bleed our economy into bankruptcy.  The open market system of the United States of America has been pushed with excessive optimism and limited regard for maintaining our domestic manufacturing and labor pool necessary to maintain military dominance.  Multi-national companies, many with little or no national loyalty and recognition of the China model have been working together to deliberate weaken America, by undermining its Industrial base.  The products made in other countries may be cheaper, but the long term costs to the American economy have been exposed.   Corporations take American Citizen's cash in exchange for necessary products and services and use it to buy a plethora of products, but in dispositional amounts, Saudi Arabian Oil and Chinese Manufactured products.  Classically, the Saudi's take the cash and invest it back into US corporations while the Chinese Government uses the money to buy Government Bonds.  This complex interdependence is good in that it helps make the economy more efficient and reduces the likely hood of armed conflict between these nations; however, there is a tipping point America needs to be weary of and position itself to maintain economic dominance and ensure America has the adequate domestic industrial production base and labor pool to maintain such dominance in the event of war.  

    I am not championing a retreat from globalization, turning inward or the abandonment of global leadership and belief in the modern market system we've created; however, I am suggesting the American Government has the legal authority on grounds of national security to order corporations and banks to maintain certain organization priorities.   The simplest way to address these concerns with minimal intrusiveness is to require the department and super-stores providing American consumers their products to reserve 50% of their shelf space for Domestically manufactured products across the range of products lines so that America has competitors in each and every field.  Furthermore, as vulnerabilities to our international supply chains and routes persist, portions should also be preserved for regionally produced goods as a security measure for a regional self-sufficiency in the event of a break down of the global trade system.  

    Coordination between the banks, business schools and businesses can help facilitate investment in the development of these regional and domestic producers.  Doing such can guarantee America's long term independence and strengthen working conditions and employment levels for future generations.   Aggressive social marketing campaigns should be launched to encourage consumption of domestic manufactured products as a patriotic duty and a new virtue of conscientious consumerism needs to become a socially enforced norm, with all current free trade agreements being amended with fair trade agreements requiring living wages and minimal human rights protections for continued participation in the global economic system.  I'm not expecting China, Saudi Arabia, or for that matter even America at times, to be perfect overnight, but we need to set realistic benchmarks that shift the economy away from deprived race to the bottom by narrow click of sociopaths to a sustainable growth trajectory elevating the standard of living and quality of life for its participants.  This is going to require stronger government and a more active role of government in the economy that is capable of helping employers adapt to new changes without driving them out of business or fostering unbearable levels of intense and unlimited competition.