The Chinese will prevail.

Generally speaking, I'm willing to wheel and deal. To give and take. To compromise. Especially when there's a political, economic or social dispute. Can't always have my way. That's a fundamental lesson of life. So I accept it. Though I encounter many people who don't want to budge. Out of principle. But more likely out of stubbornness. Selfishness. They want everything. That's what we have going on in American politics now. Ultra conservative Republicans. They want everything. Gambling everything. Even at the risk of all or nothing. They would rather wreck/destroy America if they can't have their way. Greedy capitalism. A dictatorship of the wealthy, the monetarily rich. Rule by millionaires and billionaires and big corporations. And to hell with the poor and the middle class. It's a dangerous game they are playing. Because it ignores the common good. I suspect that's why America is on the decline. And China is coming on strong. Economically. Politically. Socially. The Chinese have a different perspective. Different values. Because the world has changed. If for no other reason than there's more of us. Billions and billions and billions of people. With basic needs. And China is doing a better job of serving those needs. America has seen its best days. But China is on the rise. On the ascent. Because China has adapted. With an effectve mix of socialism and capitalism. To serve the common good. Maybe Americans, especially conservative Republicans, see that as sacrificing individual freedom. But the Chinese see what we Americans have been doing as exploitation. As greedy capitalism. As an ignoring of the common good. And I'm inclined to believe that the Chinese are on the right side of history. The Chinese will prevail. The Chinese will have the world's No. 1 economy. Some day soon. I can accept that. It's a good thing. Because China has taken to the moral high ground. --Jim Broede