It's been a while. I was just reading an article on blogs in the NYTimes and it reminded me how long it's been since I've written anything. Well, I'm back. Here's my big idea that I came up with this week. I call it How to Save America and it's based on this premise: the American Empire. I don't know how politically or economically sound my ideas are, but I figure that they're worth putting out there. Here they are:

The American Empire:

Because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many people inside and outside the U.S. have called us imperialists and Bush the Emperor who is out rule the world. Now, my views on that absurd view are a completely different story, so I won't get into that. But I have a new crusade that these anti-imperialists and anti-Americans can take up, and many probably already have: not the American military empire, which doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned (think about Japan and Germany), but the American economic empire. This country, for a number of reasons, has become the greatest and strongest economic power in the history of the world. Our companies, which began to grow into gigantic, super-powerful corporations at the beginning of the century, have spread throughout the world. The obvious example is Coca-Cola, which can be found in even the most backwater countries in Africa and Asia. Our economy has grown to the point that the world is dependent on it- if our economy goes down, everyone's economy collapses.

Now, this by itself is an obvious imbalance of wealth and power and is a threat to the world, but another danger is the trade deficit. America imports much of its manufacturing and food, while our greatest exports, as far as I know, are our corporations and money. This is a problem. Other countries become dependent on the American dollar and the American corporation. They basically become a vassal to our economy.

Once again, I have not researched this and am not educated enough to know if this is a valid conclusion, but I think it is true, based on the newspapers, books and tv that I've read and seen.

This economic empire is a danger to America, becuase if our economy collapses, there is no one who will be able to help us because the world will follow us down into depression. It is also a danger to the world for the same reason- they are too dependent on us. There is one more thing which is hurting the U.S. and other countries- immigration. This is a difficult subject, one which both sides have a lot of truth to back up their arguments. But after some time thinking it over and talking it over with my mom, I feel that immigration into the U.S. should be restricted. We are a nation of immigrants and we offer hope to the world with a lack of social classes and the promise of success and freedom, but we are bulging at the seams. California and Florida, two major entry points for immigrants, are bankrupt. The federal government is having difficulty supporting those who come here, because many can't, or won't, support themselves. The money we need to support those who are here is dissappearing because too many are coming who have nothing and add nothing to the nation. We are threatened with economic collapse, with all the consequences I stated above, unless we do something about immigration.

How to Save America

So the nation is in trouble. What do we do? I think there are several steps that we need to take. First, restrict immigration and get things straightened out here at home as much as we can. There are many who will suffer outside the U.S. because of this, but unless we do it, the whole world will suffer. Second, once we've got a good start on our domestic problems, look at the poorer countries in the world, the oppressed countries of the world, the places where the immigrants are coming from, and do what we can to improve their situation. Help them grow economically, bring down dictators and tyrants (we've already got a headstart with Iraq and Afghanistan), and teach them how not to be independent on us. This is something which many will fight. Corporations won't like it. Politicians who desire power won't like it. If we spread the wealth and power, many will feel threatened and will, being the greedy men they are, fight it. Others will fight it becuase it doesn't directly benefit us. It is a long-term and costly project which will help future generations more than us. This, however, isn't about us. it is about the welfare of humanity. Would we rather have the terrorists continue to hate us for the economic empire which they see so much evil in? Would you rather have the France's and Germany's of the world continue to be jealous of us for having so much wealth and power and keeping it to ourselves? Of course, by doing this, terrorism won't end. jealousy won't end. We may be accused of trying to Americanize the world. Well, yes we are. We want to help the world reach our level. When you have a good thing, you don't want to keep it to yourself. In fact, I feel it is wrong to keep it to yourself. But that is what America is doing.

There is my basic idea. There is much more to it, more details, more flaws, more dangers, but I don't have time to type it all. Please respond: ckmgtnr@yahoo.com.