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Guest commentary: Fourth celebration feels flattened with America losing economic war
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We ran a column this week by Arnold Rosenthal that was first printed in a March edition of The Banner. Rosenthal called last week and said the issue of America’s dependence on oil worried him, and he pointed out that no major politician has a plan to fix the situation.
It’s a great topic on the Fourth of July weekend: Independence Day. A holiday when we celebrate the freedoms of democracy, tout “The Star-Spangled Banner” and pledge allegiance.
The American way has worked pretty well over the last two-plus centuries. Our country broke off from European control, and flourished on what was then a nation full of resources. The only oil our country needed in 1776 was used to fuel lamps.
Nowadays, though, we’re not independent. Foreign interests control our economy, and an economic war is one we can’t afford to lose. The Reagan administration’s arms race with Russia is what eventually caused communism to collapse. We just plain out spent the Russians, and their infrastructure fell apart. They’ve never recovered.
I seriously hope that we’re not already on the losing end of a similar battle. We still have the most powerful military in the world, but the enemy we face today deals in attrition, not conventional weapons.
I don’t subscribe to the conspiracy theories that suggest Middle Eastern countries inflated the stock market before Sept. 11, 2001 and pulled out about the same time with the goal of killing our economy. But it’s hard to believe we’ve fallen so far so fast on our own accord.
Almost everything we have and do — from the price of food to the cost of getting to work — is dictated by gas prices. We’re in the middle of a military war, and we need lots of gas for that. We need gas to fuel the troops who fight the war so that we can have gas in the future.
It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Whose fault is it? Doesn’t matter. We have to move on to a new energy source now. There’s no time to waste bantering about how we got here. Point is: We’re lost and we need direction.
I certainly don’t have the answers. I wouldn’t be at The Banner if I did. But I do know the problem.
Our country needs a revolutionary change on the most basic level. And we must do it now, before Independence Day becomes too much of a joke.
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#1 Posted by jacktanner on July 4, 2008 at 1:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jack, Don't you remember the Bob Barr of the 90's? He was more concerned with his hatred of Clinton and Clinton getting a Lewinski in the Whiteouse than good government and our country. He lost his job because of it. I don't like McBush who is the second coming of Bush jr or Obama that much. But Bob Barr??? You know AND He knows he doesn't have a chance, so why is he running?
#2 Posted by bossman1 on July 5, 2008 at 7:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sure was great seeing all of the happy people, bright faces of the kids, and the families enjoying what we have today; amongst it all!
#3 Posted by chickendog on July 6, 2008 at 7:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
#4 Posted by AmeliaBooth on July 6, 2008 at 8:05 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
#5 Posted by AmeliaBooth on July 6, 2008 at 8:12 a.m.
I agree with Mr. Rosenthal's comment, but believe we ARE losing the battle.
"I seriously hope that we’re not already on the losing end of a similar battle. We still have the most powerful military in the world, but the enemy we face today deals in attrition, not conventional weapons."
When the Stupid is, as Stupid Does majority in this Country elects Osama Obama president, he plans to rename the 4th of July Dependence Day.
#6 Posted by 26yearsonmarco on July 6, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, most of our money is being spend in the Middle East (oil) and China (consumer goods)!
#7 Posted by dooley on July 6, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What did Istiklal blog?
#8 Posted by Opinionated on July 6, 2008 at 7:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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