Has anyone asked how China, selling us cellphones, computers and now cars...

[TreasonousBastard]

while we whine about not selling them enough soybeans, is making America great again?

Are we becoming a "developing country"?

[exboyfil]

1. I am watching a series of lectures

on Eastern Civilizations. In the next to last episode the lecturer made the point that many experts expect China to be the technological leader going forward. At the time of the lectures (2012) eight of the nine standing committee of political bureau including the President had engineering degrees.

350,000 China engineering degrees vs. 137,000 in US awarded annually. 42% earn science or engineering degrees vs. 10% in the US.

https://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/foundations-of-eastern-civilization

Unless China blows apart again (see the Ming and Qing isolationism), they will be the dominant country in the future.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Your post is right on.

Paragraph two is the real cause and effect of what is happening. And your last sentence is fact.

This is what TPP would have addressed,or could at least make a attempt at preserving what little Technology advancements we do have.

[zipplewrath]

8. China wasn't part of the TPP

China is going to be dominant because they will be the largest, by far, market in the world. They are investing in technology while we are expanding our finance industry. The TPP wouldn't have done anything about that.

[Wellstone ruled]

10. Original TPP

would have addressed the protection of Patten's and Royalties. And to your point about China ant Tech,yes they are and will be eating out lunch going forward. And with money be fungible and ported by a key stroke,the top 1% will protect it's status quo and keep the bottom 99% in poverty in order to protect their status.

We have a Family member Teaching English to pre Schooler's of the Ruling and Corporate elite. From his conversations,it appears China is concentrating on being self sufficient in short order as well as being the major Tech and other hard goods supplier for the world. The present focus in Infrastructure,and Communications.

[Initech]

2. Trump and the GOP are taking us backwards at an alarming rate.

It's really scary what they are doing.

[hunter]

3. We've always been a "developing country."

Top Banana of the Banana Republics.

We've always had more in common with Latin American nations than any western social democracy.

But it wasn't anything white middle class people, living in their bubbles, ever noticed since as useful idiots they were rarely exposed to the raw corruption, authoritarianism, and systematic oppression that made this nation "great."

The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater."

--Frank Zappa

I think the curtain is now being pulled back...

[SamKnause]

4. ...

[iamateacher]

6. That is true

The amount of money the Chinese are pouring into technology, engineering, and education is formidable. We know of professors who have left teaching in the US to go back to China because of the research money (which is being cut here) they could get.
I love that Frank Zappa quote.
The one thing is that when the young people get educations and visit other areas, they do not want the restrictions placed on them....look at Hong Kong. The young people often leave to live in surrounding countries.
One professor said they could have to count on the newly educated people from the rural areas to put in the hard work, because the second generation kids "get lazy". He was speaking of his own family...

[lunasun]

7. It is their century to lose really . It's not that we are going backwards as much as they are moving

forward while we stall imo . In 80 yrs at the end of this century we may not hold the same place in the world that is all .
Think of when NewYork NY replaced London as a world center etc

It is no reason to be belligerent about the changing of place on the world stage ,but who knows the backlash here in the US , considering the population and their fondness for bullying and wars especially if the trend is downward, losing the top of the hill attitude . Trump isn’t helping
Maybe China will implode for what ever reason and India or Sa will gain the top over us .
Still we could adapt better here to keep our status , but I do not see it at the rate as others are moving along now and as our intellectual pool lessens in comparison
Part of the reason imo is the US deep seated belief in exceptionalism - the fat and happy mentality /things are good the way they are here now - that will continue here while other countries are hungry for change, $, and motivated to make progress to help move into the future they help build
Also, the international companies , who know where the growth and innovation are booming currently , so that is where the investment $ go.
Americans often just look at their own 401k as an indicator , not realizing many of the company profits may be from overseas markets even for the corps deemed “American”

[dalton99a]

9. They have a big problem ahead: Climate change

Droughts and floods are already happening with greater frequency. This will impact their manufacturing and population centers