Sunday, August 30, 2009

The Unraveling of America - Part II - Globalization

We hear about Globalization every day. We are mesmerized into willing submission by the corporate, government and media indoctrination of the wonderful future we will share in the "New World Order", as proposed by George H. W. Bush.

There are practically no voices railing against this tyranny. Whoever speaks up is shouted down by the crowd as a Protectionist.


Globalization in History

Globalization started when the first trader ventured away from his country to seek goods and slaves in foreign lands. Once a market was found, the king and his corporations quickly set up shop, invested the military, and expanded ruthlessly until competition or nature mounted stronger pressures.

A brief synopsis includes Rome, the Silk Road, Marco Polo, the Spanish search for western gold, Columbus, the British East India Company, the Opium Wars, African colonization, colonization of the Americas, and American multi-national corporation imperialism.

Proponents of globalization attribute the growth of civilization to these practices.

Opponents ask "where are these countries now?" Rome, Spain, Portugal, France, Great Britain - they grew quickly with their world-wide pursuits, but were inevitably brought down by an inability to hold onto their acquisitions. The reach is greater than the grasp.

Civilization grows during long periods of self-sustenance. The two-hundred year isolation of America led to the greatest industrialized and strongest empire on Earth. Creativity needs security and nurture.

Investment in imperial fleets and war tend to drain the coffers. American world trade has increased explosively since the 1960's. Free Trade Authorities have been enacted to "level the playing field" for global trade. Immigration law has been intentionally laxed to provide the cheap labor to remain competitive with foreign countries who do not share our human rights, social welfare, and environmental achievements. Each new treaty includes a swap of American industries for more foreign workers. The results of these treaties can now be articulated.


Globalization Now

The trials and tribulations of the World Trade Organization and the World Bank are fairly well known. Less known are a couple offices of the US Treasury that play this world game with your tax dollars by the hundreds of $billions.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (how do you like that name for a US Treasury department?) puts up $billions per year for American industries to pack up shop and move to China, India, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, wherever. These incentives are provided by our government because no commercial interest would risk this type of treason and potential loss. ENRON lost $4 billion of your money in these rip-offs. Go to http://www.opic.gov/ and download the latest annual report. Note OPICs balance sheet has been reduced 50% 2007-2008. I expect OPIC to be insolvent now and guess who will bail them out?

Ever heard of Export-Import Bank (EX-IM)? Click the link and take notice of where your money has been going all these years. In 2008, most of the $8 billion went to Boeing to build aircraft overseas.


Globalization of the US Auto Industry

Now that GM and Chrysler have gone bankrupt, look at where they invest:

Detroit Bailout

Chrysler Bailout

Ford has the same story.


Globalization of Finance

CitiGroup Bailout

CitiGroup was the largest bank receiver of OPIC and EXIM funds, and still is.


The Trade Balance (?)

As of December 2008 (pdf), the US carries a $700 billion trade deficit in goods and services. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that every $1 billion in net trade deficits destroys between 11,000 and 20,000 jobs.

12,000,000 American Jobs Destroyed in 2008 due to trade deficit.


Epilog

China is now the world's largest exporter.

Now that Globalization has brought down the economies of the world, you would think that Congress, the Administration and the media would have learned their lesson.

No, FTAs are still pending, "Free Trade" is still the darling, our industries are being bought up by foreign nationals, Americans are losing jobs by the millions, and Globalization is the hope for a brighter future.


My next story will be on The Unraveling of America - Part III - Immigration.

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