Paper Bull

After World War II, China referred to the United States as a paper tiger, meaning that we looked threatening but were actually very weak.  Nobody gave the thought any real credit because we seemed to do pretty well for 60 years, but I think that we have to give that sentiment another look with the realization of recent events.

For sixty years we were the dominant economy on the globe, in fact our money was in many ways more powerful than our military.  Then we started borrowing to afford a military occupation.  It seems that while our military is being given a bad name overseas our economy is being given over to other hands.  The power of the United States during the Second World War came from our ability to mobilize the entire economy for war and our unified belief that our cause was in good faith.  Now the money comes from China and I think we can agree that most people don't think the military is doing the right thing.

I don't mean that individual soldiers are acting improperly by serving their country.  I mean that the leadership is making poor decisions on how to use the military.  Get off me.  God.  You people and your patriotism.

Back to what I was saying.  Our hard power has crumpled like a cheap piece of paper and the tiger of our influence has been declawed.

China on the other hand, is the third largest growing economy behind us and Japan.  In a couple years they expect to pass Japan.  They are working hard with Russia to improve a relationship that has been rocky at best.  They are working with Iran to give them nuclear power, if not also weaponry, because they recognize that Iran is a power in the making.  China is also making sure that they don't allow territories like Tibet or Taiwan out of their grasp because it allows them to feel the power of their permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.  They are buying up United States debt to make their economy powerful over ours.  They have been a bull in the market of debt.  They have been optimistic that we would be able to pay off our debts.  Unfrtunately, just as banks are realizing that many people they gave mortgages to are unable to pay them off, China will learn that we are currently unable to pay them off.  Their economic prowess is merely a show.  They are no more certain than we are but their authoritarian control allows them to seem united regardless of fact.

We are more of a paper tiger than anyone in the government wants to allow for, but China is also a paper bull.  The only problem with everyone being made of paper is that inflation can be a real pain in the ass.