Greg R. Lawson's Blog: Recent Comments

Comment on Demography as Destiny?

2010-03-04T17:17:30Z

This is an important issue that is raised. Immigration has been a dirty word for the last several years and for the types of concerns that I understand. The types of immigrants that illegally come into the country are not the type that will prove vital to long term economic growth and American primacy. But we certainly need to change Americans' views on immigration overall. The important need here is the fact that we need to attract the right type of immigrants. Ones who come to America for college and choose to stay to utilize their knowledge and skills to help America compete in the global marketplace. Americans would benefit from this type of immigration because it benefits our economy and demogrpahically keeps us growing as well in comparison to the nations you mention where they are facing bleaker futures. The reasons these nations face dire situations is b/c a society based upon social welfare system is one that will add further obligations and pressures on the rising generations. So they must face an ugly alternative of either ending their utopian societal views or continue to raise fees and taxes to cover the costs b/c their population growth is not keeping up. That's what we will face sooner or later here in the States. This Administration and all public officials are being deceitful when they discuss not raising taxes when talking about adding to our social welfare costs. But thats for another blog and another day. Thanks Greg for your blog. One of my favorites!

Comment on David Brooks on the Power Elite

2010-02-20T19:45:47Z

I would just say that I think Mr. Brooks does see why our leaders are out of favor. What he is attempting to do is to discern why they have been so bankrupt in their leadership. I think considering this at a deeper level could be fruitful.

To be dismissive or reflexively critical without thinking what can be done to improve things is probably not a constructive course of action to embark upon. We owe to ourselves as a nation to demand leadership, but in order for us to demand it, we need to understand from where leadership really comes from. As a society at large, I am not sure we do understand this anymore. This could well be the reason so much mediocrity becomes ensconced in Washington.

We must begin to realize just how deep the problems are and be willing to accept some of the pain necessary to start rectifying them.

Our current leadership seems incapable. But can we find an alternative any more worthy? That, to me, is the real question we must wrestle with today.

Comment on David Brooks on the Power Elite

2010-02-20T19:31:43Z

Mr. Brooks can not figure out why the ruling elite is out of favor when they can not balance our budgets, win our wars, secure our borders, or do just about any other normal operating functions of a state. I'm not going to explain it to him.

Comment on The Slow Disarming of America

2010-02-20T19:29:02Z

Yes we do spend more money than most of the rest of the world combined. We also are the relative guarantor of global stability which necessitates a much larger expenditure on military matters.

I am looking at the long-term trends of a potential neo-Middle Ages accentuated by proliferating WMDs and I think the world would not be better off dealing with that. Consequently, any actions that undercut our ability to to prevent that I perceive as being deeply problematic.

I simply am trying to raise the issue. Unlike some, I am not ready to go jump off a bridge over this, but I do think we should not be cavalier about allowing a capacity that we have built up over several generations to atrophy.

By the way, did you read the link I included in the article. That provides much of the context to what I said, so I would suggest you at least peruse it before asserting that one needs a paper bag.

Comment on The Slow Disarming of America

2010-02-13T03:17:01Z

Your goal is not to "hyperventilate", but what do you call it when you make an absurd assertion, and offer no data or evidence?
We already spend more on our military than the rest of the world combined. Just what are your worried about? Breathing into a paper bag might help.

Comment on States as Zombie Economies

2010-02-09T23:38:09Z

This is going to get a lot, lot worse later in the year and all through 2011 when the adjustable rate mortgages are beginning to reset across the board and we'll see government debt default (by the way, not for the first time in US history). Recovery? What recovery?

Comment on From Instrument to Institution- The Decline of a Nation

2010-02-01T11:15:10Z

Thanks for the link!

I responded to your point in the comment thread of my own post.

You may be interested in another piece along a similar theme to what we have both said that I wrote fairly recently:
I think Tobias's American history is different from my knowledge of our history. America became a great continental and then world power not because of some series of benevolent, liberal negotiations or soft power actions. No- we became a great power b/c we fought and won wars in Mexico, with the Native Americans, and the 2 World Wars. After Europe basically destroyed itself in constant conflict America was the democratic power left standing. Now at times we have coupled our military might with smart diplomacy such as the Marshall Plan but soft power is not the reason we are a superpower. Now that being said there is a role for international organizations b/c we are in a globalized world system both economically and for security. But no president should shirk their responsibility to 'preserve, protect, and defend. Nor should they make our national security or sovereignty subservient to international organizations, etc..

Comment on The Stalin Prism or is Evil Forgotten?

2009-12-05T09:50:31Z

Clearly not, because Hitler didn't actually achieve any positive goals. He left Germany in a much worse state than it ever was in the 20s and early 30s. And despite his temporary successes in pulling Germany out of depression, we can't forget that Germany was already an advanced, industrialized, educated nation to begin with, making even those successes pale in comparison.

Comment on Russia's Sisyphean Loop

2009-12-04T04:56:09Z

In describing physical geography's constraints upon Russian economics, I've found a reason to hope that global warming is real (University of East Anglia's "climategate" notwithstanding) and, if so, that it continues (why attempt to stop it in its tracks when the fossil record proves that both biodiversity and biomass were greatest during Earth's warm periods?). If food production in Russia would improve with a warmer climate, and if an ice-free Arctic Ocean would suddenly transform Russia's transportation handicap into a logistical boon, then, by following the reasoning of the linked article's author, Russia would enjoy the same conditions America enjoyed in its path to an open capitalist economy. Russia could then afford to use a sweet-as-honey approach toward its neighbors as it would seek trading partners and consumer markets for its newly found production capacity and newly found maritime distribution systems. Russia could finally afford to discard its iconic bearish image and militaristic bullying. Bring on global warming!