Strong America=Born of a 3rd major party

I agree with what you are saying but we are not number 1 anymore. We need to rebuild America so we can be number 1 again.

I agree with what you are saying but we are not number 1 anymore. We need to rebuild America so we can be number 1 again.

We still Number 1 , but the transition to globalize the word is taking a lot of energy in all levels from USA, that other countries are benefiting from it. We need a strong 3rd party like MWP in the center to bring a real balance to America between the special interests democrats & republicans to keep us number 1 for the future generations. Even a global world need a leadership and that is USA.

well, this #1 business has me troubled. We arent #1 in much, sure as heck not in education, where we're twenty something.

"Even a global world needs leadership and that is the USA."

Yeah, but leading from the barrel of an A4 ( todays M16) breeds its own demise. So while we get that US mil strength helps keeps the dollar somewhat stable, that is "un -American" long run and will fail. Un American in that it does NOT speak to our Constitutional principals at all ( in words maybe, but not in actions), and the only way to maintain power thru kinetics, is thru power thru kinetics, i.e, it is an expensive policy that needs constant funding.

There is physically no way "U.S. #1" will handle the up and comers. So lets just put that out there. NO WAY will we be #1 in certain measures against the more populous Chinese and Indians. And that's OK if we are in front of it and managing it. ( not possible with today followers)

So how do we handle this inevitablity? Burying our heads in the sand, sending Marines in to chants of "We're #1"? That's not working well overall. At the same time the Chinese have already "won" the cyberwar and likely can take down our electric grid and internet backbone within 48 hours of orders being issued. ( yeah, you read that right and its only my speculation. )

This is about where we are today. Simplistic, ill-thought out, and no long run efficacy. The "extraction" of America continues.

So back to this #1 business. How does a nation in INEVITABLE relative decline handle it? It does so by requiring STRATEGIC solutions. Not guns and missles, but a matrix of interelated forward-looking, long run- policies. One component of that should be " LEAD BY EXAMPLE". Meaning we should clearly articulate this and get to leading, which will allow us to maintain our global posture while falling in the #1 rankings. (which is an INEVITABLE process.)

As an MWP officer, I would encourage citizens to think about that concept and get off the "kvas nationalism" USA #1 bullcrap which means nothing in an increasingly interdependent world. Actions matter. Words do not. Let's not parrot other peoples ill concieved ideas and articulate some of our own.

If we seriously want to be #1, leading by example, then we should begin by canning all the FOLLOWERS in Washington. The media calls them "leaders" but they are not leaders, they are followers, by strict definition. This is a primary cause of the mess we find ourselves in today. They can only be followers as they are, in large part, party schills and bought and paid for by special interests. These two things remove the possibility of true leadership, by definition.

Those follwers have failed us in energy dependency, alternative energy, health care reform, foreign policy, domestic polcy ( the US still has NO Industrial Policy ), and bailouts/budget gaps. While many US citizens are distrustful of the Fed ( and they should be cautious), it has singlehandedly handled the financial crises of the last few years as it can make strategic assessments and implement policy objectively. Something the 535 followers in Washington cannot do. Cannot.

So a hard core Whig may say, y'all strive to be number 1? Well, SHOW ME by what you do INSIDE your country. Do all your citizens have access to affordible health care? Can they find jobs to support families on? Are your chidlren being educated properly? Does your system work to adequately represent the average, middle class American?

Y'all know the answers to those simple questions. America has NEVER had an industrial policy in modern times , only the hollow mantra of free trade. The stuff isnt free, now is it?

In the last Century, CIA put together a sort of foreign/economic/industrial policy in what I beleve was called Socrates. President Reagan canned it with predujice, maybe due to the "supply-side revolution" and free trade, or maybe as it was just "too scary" to let anyone see. Other than the demographic driven yuppie boom, we lost the econiomic war over the last thirty years. Today, we need folks whose horizon is 5, 10, 20, 30+ years to again provide us some guidelines. OUR followers in Washington CANT DO IT. If I thought the CIA was independent enough to do this right, I would publicly call on them to redo Socrates, 2012. The truth WILL set us free, even though it isnt pretty. #1's plan, not react.

So if #1 is our goal, I hope you see how far we need to cut the cancer out of our body politic to let the healthy cells grow, but it IS doable.

If that doesnt show, unequivocally, how important MWP is to the future of America, I don't know what does.

My Colleague Gene,

I like your enthusiastic quick reply, but maybe next time you should take time to see the context of each forum & discussion.
This section is "military talk", and yes USA is Number 1 in military power. For your reply you focused more on business, economy, education, health....etc, which we all agree about it. The world today is going through a globalization and yes the biggest casino is not any more in the USA but in china, the biggest tower is not in USA but is in United Arab Emirates...Our concern, is keeping our leadership! to do so we need to change how the things are been handle in Washington dc, and i did talk about it on other section : "in America we have 2 economies disconnected".

You are quite right! Any time there are only 2 groups (parties, ethnic groups, etc) it is much harder to function. Power sorrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I grew up in Hawaii, and there is and was much less bigotry because no one had the majority. Sen, Dan Inouyes used to say the Hawaii wasn't a melting pot, it was a stew. You could sitll tell the carrot from the onion, but we were all in the hot water together!

Let's hope the rational, objective folks o f the US can grow this group into that balancing force.

And because of that the American consumer's distrust of the country's financial system proceeds to grow. Seventy-seven percent of those interviewed said they no longer have faith in the financial system. Professionals say that regulators can work to restore that trust. But the public must also be knowledgeable enough to know when the system is failing them. Source for this article: Over three-fourths of Americans distrust financial system.We are in one country yet,we are subdivided because of different principles and opinions.Lets have the unity in us.The spirit of nationalism and patriotism should be the key to empower our nation.

I apply Modern Whig tactics to both domestic and international policies. The idea that America is number 1 can be inerpreted in so many ways? Economy? Military? Education? Health Care? Ultimatley, no nation can stay at the top forever. The United States in unprepared for the day when it is no longer the "big guy." It is essential that global leadership take place through such organizations as the UN, IMF, and NATO. I personally feel that in the coming decades a more powerful and united Europe will emerge that can help balance the power in NATO between the two continents. The US cannot, will not, and has never led the world. World leadership needs to be just that, not American!
I hope the US remains a strong nation that can help solve the world's problems, but to be honest, an international effort would be most effective. However, there is no other nation that can do what the US does, and that is sad. It would be wonderful if old Europe could finally pop back through the debt crisis, if Europe and the US could be partners in the world. Together, we share so much and get along well, it would be a shame to idolize ourselves without thinking of Europe's true potential.
What I hear everyone talking about is oppression. "The US is #1 and will make that known." That kind of thinking is what kills powers. Ask the British, the French, the Russians, the ancient Romans, etc. We need to realize that the world as a whole, provides the best startegy to dealing with problems. We need to show the world that we can help, but not lead. That we will prosper, but not ignore others. That we are a power for good, not ourselves.

HEAR! HEAR! Couldn't agree more. Hate to get into anyone's "logical gap" but this #1 business has got to be put to rest.

Since this IS the military talk forum as Naoufal reminded me, maybe we should strive to LEAD BY EXAMPLE instead of trying to lead by projecting power.

Not to mention the tactical "cognitive dissonance" going on. To wit, ask the average JarHead what he thinks of being the world's policeman.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE