Amazon-dot-com

I find it interesting that some of the books I’ve looked at on-line with the intent-to-buy are now less expensive in hard copy than they are on Kindle (buying electrons). How long before the pulp medium is dead completely?
Chinese Ambitions
This is a follow on to my comments about Chinese Kool-Aid from last Monday. China has a plan and it’s a big plan. To suck the wealth through trade from Asia, Europe and Africa back to China. This vision of the Belt Road, backed by military expansion to protect their interests is viewed by the communist leadership in Beijing as the only way to “Make China Great Again”.
Make the world China…
They’ve gambled with the family silverware, so China cannot stop. Chinese Party leaders seem surprised by the negative reaction and blowback to the proposed amendment to the state constitution that eliminates term limits on the president and vice president. The quasi-official Global Times has featured op-ed pieces on consecutive days that defended the proposal. The Chinese sense the need to explain the proposal, but will otherwise ignore the international reaction. 
The main argument is that the proposal is right for the era. It will unify the government and provide consistent long-term leadership. The fight against corruption, the challenge of long-term social reform and the development of China as a world power require strong, steady and consistent leadership.
Global Times wrote on 26 February, China’s “goal is the great rejuvenation 
of the Chinese nation and a better life for the Chinese people.”

“China cannot stop and take a break. Our people believe that every year is crucial. The CPC has made development goals to be achieved in 2035 and 2050. The country must seize the day, seize the hour. Our country must be united, energetic and be able to continue with opening-up. Our country must not be disturbed by the outside world or lose our confidence as the West grows increasingly vigilant toward China.”

President Xi could become one of the elder statesmen in the world at the same time China plans to emerge as the world’s leader, after 2035. 
The constitutional proposals are powerful reminders that China remains a communist, one-party state. China is not on a path towards plural democracy and never has been. Xi has rededicated the Party, with overwhelming collective support, to pristine Maoist principles of discipline, accountability and personal integrity. Xi and his leadership team are gambling China’s future to 2050 on the success of their programs and problem-solving skills. Xi said last October that China is offering its approach to development as a model for the world, more successful and equitable than free-market, pluralistic democracy. 
Will “make the world China” work out?  I’ll be 94 years old in 2050, living up at the White Wolf Mine, sitting on the porch with my 45-70 lever action, surrounded by a pride of feral wolves, un-phased by Chinese ambitions – God willing. (Or I’ll be pushing up daisies.)
Imperial America
Despite all, I tend to be a libertarian at heart. No, not a supporter of the dope-smoking dupes that represent the Libertarian Party. The Swiss model of greatness tends to appeal more than trying to be the world’s policeman. I like the idea of a wall and of merit-based immigration where we suck the world’s brain trust dry by offering people who have EARNED it a better place to live. However, in order to do that we must be a better place to live and that flies in the face of the Democrat Party’s liberal agenda that is “power at any price”. 
Letting China take Afghanistan makes sense to me. It’s their turn. What does the US want with Afghanistan anyway? The Greeks, Brits and Russians couldn’t do much with it. We could nuke it on our way out, but that wouldn’t change things either. Allowing Europe to rot and fall to the caliphate would be poetic justice.
The only way America or any other country can succeed is through greatness and greatness only comes with morality and the moral authority that brings. Since that doesn’t seem to be the path we’re following, I don’t think that it will work long term, and that’s the only way to really Make America Great Again.
The US has enough oil and gas to be thriving when the rest of the planet has run out. The Middle East is not a vital interest anymore. Neither is it a fun place to go on vacation (the antidote for civilization). Nobody vacations in Acapulco anymore either because it’s emblematic of the narco-run nation state – built on US addiction. We’ve flooded Mexico with cash for drugs and now they’re toying seriously with being communists. How ironic is that?
Even with a floundering Mexico, the US still enjoys stability brought by large oceans and neighbors who don’t plan to invade and capture. I think that we can survive quite nicely by forging trade deals that are in our interest and telling the rest of the planet to do whatever they want to do while we build newer and better nuclear weapons and develop fusion energy that the the Chinese will steal through industrial espionage and then sell to the world. 

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16 COMMENTS

  1. 45-70. Hang time, baby. Use the back side of the no trespass signs as range markers. Or you could set one of these up—

    youtube.com/watch?v=jL1DkrYL70s#t=18

  2. To make America great again we have to start with the kids (while doing had stuff by the ‘adults’). Coca Cola was one of the first to learn that to get long term brand loyalty (Pepsi soon followed) was to get Coke in the schools. They invested billions in school athletics, free vending machines in the schools and buying advertisement in any publication involving the youth. The same thing needs to be done today with our kids. Get rid of the socialist agenda and start teaching true history, prayer back in the schools, pledging allegiance to the flag, or to the country, and putting education back in the hands of the states. Kansas doesn’t need the same thing as New York, etc. It will take a couple of generations, but it will work.

  4. Yeah, well the 45-70 is fine and that was more just talk. In reality it would more likely be a Barrett REC7 in 6.8 SPC topped by a Schmidt and Bender Police Marksman 2 scope (5-25).

    However, and to your point, many people don't understand the kinetic value of artillery or landmines, unless they are personally exposed to them.

  5. The will to implement positive change must be carried by educators, and from what I've seen, their only interest is to destroy the nation. Not ALL educators, but at the university level, it seems to be nearly 100% in many prominent institutions.

  7. Just talk indeed, and most enjoyable it was. I would have assumed you had something a bit more current, and if you didn't, I would have been surprised and a little disappointed.

    I have five rifles in 45-70, including an original infantry Trapdoor and an 1879 bolt action Remington Lee. I suppose part of the appeal is that at distance, they resemble shoulder fired mortars.

    As to buying electrons, I am seeing reports of gun shops now suddenly over-run again as the other side bangs the gun control drums. I wonder if the grid went down long enough and/or wide enough, it might drive home a new appreciation for 'backups' that can be read with a candle.

  8. Sounds like a good plan for 2050. I'll be celebrating 100 that year and sitting on the porch sipping something old and smooth is a plan I can follow.

  9. I've always believed in depth when it comes to tools. Then comes the tradecraft to employ each tool in the way it was intended.

  12. It's difficult to say whether it will end with a bang or a whimper. You should never eat more than you can lift.

  13. "We've flooded Mexico with cash for drugs and now they're toying seriously with being communists. How ironic is that? "

    LL, that is a great line!

    I'll be on the porch with a Garand…

  15. It would be a poor sad thing if real books went away, but I don't think that is going to happen.

    Informative post once again, thanks!

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