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The United States is in a precarious position and the coming election will decide if we fall off the ledge or regain solid footing.
After the fall of the Soviet Empire, we Americans congratulated ourselves on winning the cold war and making the world safe for democracy. As the world’s only remaining superpower, we embraced the Neo-Conservative idea that the US should take advantage of its status and create an American Hegemony throughout the world.
Sounds good on paper.
What the Neo-Cons forgot was how we would pay for this hegemony. Fast forward to 2007. Here we are with a foothold in every important country throughout the world. Our military might is unquestioned but we can't pay the bills. The Federal Reserve is printing money by the truckload to pay for our military adventurism and inflation has arrived.
I recently accompanied my wife on a grocery shopping trip. She loves to bake and as she was picking up a bag of flour mentioned that the price had gone up 50 cents. 50 cents isn't much but it represents a 50 percent increase in price. Ok, 50 cents isn't going to bankrupt us but the fact that this American staple (which has been under $1/bag for the past 42 years of my life) shot up by 50% in less than one month is worrisome.
For those of you without a calculator, flour increasing by 50% per month over the next year would make a pound of flour $57 by this time next year. That would mean a loaf of bread would cost over $100.
Think it can’t happen? It’s exactly what brought down the Soviet Empire. Contrary to popular belief, we didn’t win the cold war because we ‘stood them down’ with our military might. We played a game of financial chicken – Increasing spending on defense causing them to do the same – for decades. They suffered financial collapse first and that financial collapse is what brought down their government.
Now, the financial strain of projecting our strength throughout the world is manifesting itself as inflation. The equation is simple. Money to pay for the empire and aid to other countries leaves us about one Trillion dollars short each year. This money has to be printed or borrowed and, we all know, more money in circulation means higher prices.
The American Revolution was brought on by taxation without representation. At least the British had the good common sense to tax us for their empire. Now we have representation without taxation. We pay for defense and infrastructure throughout the world and get nothing in return.
This has to stop. We need to take a good, hard look at our foreign policy and the financial stresses it is causing every American. I for one do not want to have to choose between feeding my family and keeping a roof over our heads. Unfortunately that’s what’s coming if we continue on the course of empire building.
This is why I'm supporting Ron Paul for President of the United States.
