Shanghai Escapist (Book) - 7/15/2002 8:29:34 AM
Your prose took me there. I felt the fear as if I were transformed into Barry's body. Best of luck in all of your writing endeavors. Regards, Kaz
The Crisis of Opioid, Fentanyl, Cocaine etc. - But Who Is to Blame? (Article) - 9/2/2019 8:34:08 AM
A fine article showing that, to get ahead in this world, one must learn to do something of value. But you are an example of someone who is self educated to a degree where you can give sound advice to others. Not many achieve that level of self-awareness. Another quote from Thoreau… "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." For those of us who have come through the Spencerian social "survival of the fittest," and have seen the injustice that man can do to man, most people in a capitalist world like United States work menial jobs at wages that do not cover expenses and often turn to opioids and other palliatives like alcohol to stave off the constant feeling of failure. Not everyone can achieve success in both worlds like you, state socialism in China and capitalistic social services in Canada.
The fact is "free" enterprise with reduced regulations or control for the last 45 years or so in the United States has created a two-tier society. Those who are lucky or highly skilled and have achieved the American dream, and those who have worked hard and tried every approach but were unlucky and have fallen short of that dream. The rich are getting richer and the middle class that made America strong is sliding into poverty. Hence, young people seeing this happen to their parents, began to think that the best way to achieve a revolution will be social change toward socialism.
I am no fan of state socialism. And I don't think any of the reformers are either. The state has no business owning the means of production and distribution. It fails from corruption. But it is time in the United States that preventive healthcare, with counseling on proper eating, exercise and other good habits, is given at an early age at little or no cost. Public education has always given the United States its stalwart citizens, albeit private education strives to create the leaders and captains of industry. But privatizing education has already failed, largely because of administrative greed rather than focus on education of young people. So I'm in favor of universal public education with competition allowing the best to move on to higher levels, including the doctorate. Under no circumstances should money buy an education. And, education should not be considered something to make money. Your outstanding education shows in everything you write.
I am really concerned about the schism between Americans who have gone either way too far: either believe that unfettered capitalism is the solution or socialism is the solution. If democracy is a concept worth saving, everyone must have an opportunity or a say in government.
Yes, the demand side needs to be addressed, too, when it comes to addictive drugs. Without all the money coming out of Americans' pockets, all the cartels would fail and organized crime would not exist. But we have to have our addictions it seems. A friend who has a bipolar disorder and a former alcoholism problem put it this way… Only one in 10 AA participant gets free from alcohol using their steps program, and only one in 10 changes their ways of living by accepting religion. In his case, making him one in 100. That's the kind of violence we are up against when it comes to addiction.
Ron
Tariffs v Free Market (Article) - 5/20/2019 9:17:11 AM
A very instructive article. Finally got to the meat of the matter near the end where you discussed why American business seeks lower-cost production and labor overseas everywhere, thereby leaving the American production facilities "an empty shell" with those jobs and benefits no longer available to average Americans without special skills required for the jobs that remain.
My theory is this. As the average Chinese gets richer, they will demand higher wages and will also seek exotic, foreign products, like American goods, thought to be higher-quality or with a better reputation like the Buick, heavily advertised by Tiger Woods, saving the brand while Pontiac and the venerable old Oldsmobile are gone, at least, for the time being as General Motors struggles to figure out why foreign manufacturers of automobiles outsell them. I expect that soon there will be a flood of cheap Chinese vehicles coming ashore in United States, like the Japanese did earlier to take over much of the automobile sales market.
Ron
Winners and Losers (Article) - 4/23/2019 11:16:04 AM
Very well written and researched. I like the way you balance the two extremes of enterprise: pure communism and unbridled free enterprise. Both have their drawbacks with severe penalties for those not in charge. No one can predict the future, but the consequences of monetary flow can be analyzed. United States with its two-party system that leans one way or another depending upon who is in power at the time, provides the best opportunity for both to flourish occasionally, showing which approach is better. The statistics that I've seen show that government spending goes up (primarily because of war) during Republican power, while unemployment (except as soldiers) increases. The opposite happens to Democrats and Democratic administrations except during World War II.
I'm a firm believer in stocks. I am afraid of monopolies like Amazon. And, like everything else, luck has a lot to do with whether or not a company or a person is in the right place at the right time in history. I favor any move, government or otherwise, that allows everyone a larger piece of the pie. The current schism between the rich and the poor is growing at an untenable rate that gives Bernie Sanders's democratic socialism a boost in popularity.
Ron
The Resistance Movement (Article) - 9/6/2018 6:11:11 PM
Thank you for an informative article! You are very observant of the American politics from afar. I, too, am watching American politics from the outside looking in as I am living in Canada. BTW... I have just purchased one of your books "A Guide To Chinese Affairs" yesterday. I can't wait for it to arrive! I will buy the other two books later.
Thank you, Mr. Liu!
Sandie
The Resistance Movement (Article) - 9/3/2018 8:52:09 AM
You are no doubt an educated and gifted political writer. Much more so than I. But, I think your hatred of Maoist communism as overshadowed your logic in articles such as this. When I read your comments about Marxist thought, I doubt if you have read Marx. In fact, I believe that most conservatives may have read Machiavelli, practiced heavily by those in capitalist positions of power, but do not know the benevolent policies that Marx described, more like those of Jesus Christ and the Dalai Lama than of insidious Soviet and Chinese style state socialism.
Mainstream media still follows practices of good journalism, although the speed of news sometimes produces mistakes that need to be corrected and are. But some so-called news feeds have a distinct political leaning that colors every news item they release. Donald Trump is either probably the most Machiavellian of all presidents, or the most deranged. He constantly contradicts himself, states outright lies that later he seems to either forget or change arbitrarily to meet the situation. As such he is a danger because his rhetoric can inflame action based on something that is totally untrue. He has committed impeachable acts and probably, criminal acts. These acts must be reported by all impartial news sources.
It is interesting how you go back into Obama's administration and single out individuals as being somehow procommunist even though they may have just been opposed to US involvement in the Vietnam War decades ago. Conservative writers like yourself are very fond of digging up old information and making connections that aren't necessarily true--weird conspiracies. However, acts by our President and others before his election that made him president are certainly something we need to look into.
You do not discuss income inequity that results from capitalism that is unrestrained. You talk about Third World countries where income inequity is a rule and generally keep those countries from prospering. You seem to have your arguments clearly in the conservative narrow ballpark. You mentioned second quarter 2018 GDP growth, but do not mention what happened during the Bush administration's costly wars, the housing bubble, and subsequent market adjustment and recession. Or do you mention the GDP growth of the Obama administration.
Ron
Takeaways from Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations (Article) - 11/18/2017 10:03:45 AM
You have provided us with a nicely whitewashed free-market capitalistic viewpoint that all things are well with our economy, when they are not.
For one thing, you failed to understand that the major downturns in the market were caused during Republican administrations, not democratic. The 2001 downturn that resulted from unregulated trading of Internet stocks, should have been a lesson. But the junk-bond and toxic mortgage schemes that brought the 2008-9 crash were all part and parcel of the Republican dominated Congress and administration looking the other way at practices that certainly could only be criminal not capitalistic improvements.
When the working poor lose their jobs, they can find other jobs, but because of automation, the jobs they find tend to be lower paying service jobs. In the meantime, over the past 30 years, management has manipulated to increase their salaries, usually based on some kind of peer review of other industries/organizations, resulting in the top level people who produce nothing, getting the lion's share of salaries and salary increases. And taxes continue to favor the rich.
The resulting flow of wealth to the very rich who can afford to compete to buy a supposed Leonardo da Vinci painting for $450 million from everyone else is quickly creating a two-tier society that is not beneficial to capitalism, but becomes stagnant aristocratic economy of wealth and privilege with most people getting crumbs--classic feudalism. The result will be something akin to the French Revolution. Bernie Sanders is right in trying to head such a mistake and catastrophe off. Just like no one in their right mind is trying to create a socialistic state like the former Soviet Union, China or any other so-called communist country.
By opening trade to Cuba, we are freeing those people from the oppressive stranglehold they have been held to by reactionary behavior of right-leaning, militaristic thinking.
Ron
A Special Invitation from Donald Trump (Article) - 8/4/2015 7:47:58 AM
Yours is a thoughtful, sober assessment of the Donald. I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell of either getting the nomination, or in winning the election. But if he can shake the other contenders off their sycophantic butts and stale old positions, that might be a good thing. Thanks for your write.
A Special Invitation from Donald Trump (Article) - 7/29/2015 6:03:21 AM
Very well written and thought out analysis of Donald Trump. Especially from the Canadian viewpoint.
Donald Trump is the PT Barnum of politics. And we all know what PT Barnum is supposedly famous for saying, "There's a sucker born every minute." While people are attracted, and elect larger-than-life characters like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan to office through the power of television and movies, that doesn't make them good leaders as evidenced by the records of Schwarzenegger and Reagan in office. You're right about Reagan's good luck to have the failure of Jimmy Carter's attempt to save the hostages in Tehran and his "trickle-down economics" that gave a false sense of prosperity, as well as avoidance of war during his presidency.
Those that offer seminars and books on how to "get rich" always seem to do well, because the masses generally are attracted to anything that will increase their well-being, end their drudgery, and do it quickly. That's why lotteries (the old numbers game) and gambling are so successful because everyone is looking for that lucky break. Those that offer that break get rich on the backs of many suckers who invest a few bucks, and sometimes, much more, only to lose in the lottery of luck. It's an old story that every generation repeats.
I'm afraid that Trump's bombastic attitude would further erode United States stature in the eyes of the world, while it would please those gullible who think that we need a cartoon superhero as our president and not a real, thoughtful and kind person of the people.
Ron
Class Warfare and Class Struggle (Article) - 8/18/2012 1:27:55 AM
Good article Robert.
Barack Obama’s blame and tax the rich scheme isn’t working because the devious canard is also a wickedly designed major tax on the middle class and the poor.
Here’s the reason why. The rich control the bulk of the goods, services and products in America. By increasing the income taxes on the wealthy, the rich will simply raise the item prices (to compensate for their money losses) on all products, services and goods we Americans buy. Thus the middle class and the poor will ultimately suffer from Obama’s all-too-wily sleight-of-hand “tax the rich” scheme.
Wise-up America! No new taxes on anybody, rich or poor. A tax on the rich will be a tax on everyone (including you)! The President’s “tax the rich” class warfare rhetoric is really a diabolical disgusting national Trojan Horse in disguise.
A Debate Plus a Dilemma (Article) - 12/11/2005 5:38:11 AM
Hi Robert:
Your article is well-written, informative, and analytical. I truly thank you for taking the time to write such an impressive and informative article in AD.
From time to time, we wonder if history is going to repeat itself. As you have stated, "While fortunately for the Chinese government, there is no armed struggle and no military rebel base in China today," -
I hope the Chinese in China will not use violence to solve their differences, for if that ever happens, China will take many steps backward instead of marching forward.
Wonderful informative article that is well-written and well-worth the reading. I'm saving this one to my library.
Thank you Robert!
Sandie May Angel a.k.a. Sandie Angel :o)
Al Gore's Judgement and Luck (Article) - 8/23/2005 10:28:02 AM
Hi Robert,
Your analysis of the 2004 election is still a myth for many Americans. Who would have thought that today Americans troops are loosing their lives over the Bush policy of pre-emptive war in Iraq?
Howard Dean was right and is still right by taking a stand against the war. However, the politics of fear was more effective for the Bush camp than the politics of common sense. The American people need to unlearn to move by fear and start learning to move by common sense.
Good article! Bad luck for the Democrats and the American people!
Manes Pierre
China and North Korea (Article) - 6/7/2005 10:04:51 AM
good points you raise, robert. thank you for sharing! well done!
China and North Korea (Article) - 6/7/2005 10:00:08 AM
An excellent, enlightening, and wonderful article. Thanks for the read.
Another Turn for the Better (Article) - 2/8/2005 6:51:13 PM
I pray and hope that peace will come now and that things will work out for them. Truly I do for the Iraqi people. They have waited so long.
A Set of Interesting Historical Parallels (Article) - 11/18/2004 6:33:26 AM
I commend you on a very well written article, and the research you must have done in order to write it. I wonder if you saw this quote in your study, and if, when compared to recent statements made by this administration it has any influence on your opinion: "The National Government will regard it as its first and foremost duty
to revive in the nation the spirit of unity and cooperation. It will
preserve and defend those basic principles on which our nation has been built. It regards Christianity as the foundation of our national
morality, and the family as the basis of national life."
-- Adolph Hitler, My New World Order, Proclamation to the German
Nation at Berlin,
February 1, 1933
A Shamelessly Sophistic Debating Technique (Article) - 10/14/2004 12:49:29 AM
Nice article. Your points are certainly on target. Mr. Kerry is simply another elitist liberal who believes the common man needs big brother to walk him through life. He is unable to trust individuals with control of their own destinies, showing an aversion to the self direction of retirement funds and a salivating hunger to control health care. Kerry is nothing more than another tax and spend, big government socialist. A carbon copy of all who have come before. The sheep will flock to his voice.
Does It Add Up? (Article) - 8/13/2004 11:08:41 AM
the link is there, i believ one has to be a moron to not see a connection or an anti semit
10 of 10 teerorists support kerry
Amazing Poll Results (Article) - 8/13/2004 11:07:55 AM
I loove Rumsfeld
Better than Mc Greevey trying to appoint his male lover
with zero qualifications
A Campaign of Tortured Arguments (Article) - 8/13/2004 11:06:43 AM
Hillary Clit on is a confused beaten down lesbian
I feel sorry for her.
she has no identity and her husband made a mockery of her
now mcgreevey is doing that to his wife
how sad
Al Gore's Judgement and Luck (Article) - 3/19/2004 8:36:14 AM
I hope your assessment of the status of independent voters is accurate. I enjoyed this piece.
