Forget Bruce Dickinson, This is Better Than Gold Plated Diapers

As I watched Michigan send a message to the Republican party on Tuesday evening, I got around to thinking about America’s natural resources. By the way, that message was that all you have to do to be elected is tell the public what they want to hear. Seriously, Michiganers, I have some lovely beach front property in Arizona that I’ll sell you for a song. If you don’t follow, let me explain. The number one factor in the minds of voters in Michigan is “the economy, stupid”. The battle was essentially between native son, Romney, and McCain. Romney pledged that he’d do everything in his power to get back those jobs that Michigan lost in recent years. At this point I think Romney would commit to drinking the blood of the innocent if it polled well. Seriously. McCain took the approach that those jobs are gone forever and that he would help the good people of Michigan move forward by re-educating them through various community college or outreach programs. Obviously, Romney won with ease. His pledge comforts the citizens, but it isn’t realistic. Those jobs are gone – forever. You don’t see the steel mills in Pittsburgh operating at full capacity like they were in the mid 1930s. You don’t see manufacturing plants in the rust belt going full bore anymore. The economic ability of maintaining a major product from start to finish for eternity in one country just doesn’t happen anymore. Companies have to adapt or get left behind and when those companies fall behind, so do their communities.

To get back to my initial idea, I have say that, while this country is rich in land and mineral deposits, America’s greatest natural resource is its people and their continuing ability to deliver new ideas to the market place. Without our ingenuity we certainly wouldn’t exist as a country. The Revolutionary War was also a revolution in terms of how war can be waged. Gone were the days of lines of soldiers firing at each other. A new type of strategery was introduced. The War of 1812 also saw American know-how deliver crushing blows to the Brits to help win the war. With our advanced cannon production leading the way, the battle of New Orleans was a decisive victory for a young country. It also led to the first instance of nationalism. A country of loosely affiliated states transformed almost over night into unified nation. WWII saw America leap frog a stronger Japanese Navy with the advent of air power. We were able to sink many of their ships and deliver considerable damage to the until-then impregnable Tokyo. These are just three military examples of how innovation helped shape our country. The economic examples are even more plentiful and I won’t list them for fear of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The idea that the federal government can help bring back the auto industry is laughable. I know its easy for me to say this as I haven’t been adversely affected by the fall of the American car, but the sooner they commit to moving in a new direction the better off they’ll be. At this point I’d like to quote one of my favorite philosophers, Bruce Lee. He said, in describing Jeet Kune Do, “Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. If you put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow and it can crash. Be water my friend.” He used this to dispel the notion that one form of kung fu or karate was the best. He encouraged people to take bits and pieces from all forms and use them interchangeably. Success would come through this flexible/unpredictable nature. I think the quote works here because of the fluid nature of the market. Needs don’t often change, but wants certainly do and the wants crave the new and exciting and cheap. I feel confidant that the country will continue to fill those wants most ably.

I just have to say one more thing. I love this format. I think that I’ll have made disparaging remarks about every candidate by the middle of February. At which point I’ll be looking for a Lincolnesque run from a candidate waiting in the wings, someone who has been touring the country giving speeches. Oh my gosh, do I detect the dulcet tones of Newt Gingrich? Good God, NO!