The two main topics on my mind today was the troops in Iraq (covered in the previous posts) and the new trade issues with China.  That latter stirred back up nagging issues that have bothered me for ages, the main point, do we really need trade?

I know it is hard to imagine the USA without any trade (import/exports), after all there has been trade since the beginning.  But what really does the USA need from outside our borders that we cannot provide from within?  No, I really do not know for sure, but I have an idea a large portion would be oil.  I wonder what else we are dependant on that we cannot manufacture ourselves.  There are the seasonal specifc things were we import food from various countries during seasons we cannot produce our own.  Then there are those items that cannot be grown here.  I do not have a clue how large or small that would end up.

My main thought though is that we import a lot of products that could easily be made right here in the USA, many of which, use to be made here and have been moved overseas for the sake of a buck.  Many large corporations have sold out the USA to become "global" monsters exploiting poverty wherever they find it.  So, how can we stop these beasts?

Did you know that last year (2006) our annual trade deficit in the USA was $856.6 billion?  That is money our nation has lost to other nations that we will never see back.  How many more years can we loose such large amounts of money?

Well, maybe it is time to put on the brakes and bust the back of imports.  The first step is to bring back our manufacturing sector!  We need to put a law into place that regulates the entire import business.  This law would impose tariffs on any imported product that is sold for less than than the average (not lowest) domestic product.  This will make the products on an even footing (or at least mostly) with our own products.

Once the above law is in place, the large corporations will find themselves locked out and force them to bring those manufacturing jobs back to the USA, at least as far as the USA consumption.  Even if the products cost more here, there will no longer be products available at such a reduced cost due to labor prices, that our domestic products find themsevles locked out.

Imagine a nation flourishing with a vibrant manufacturing sector again.  This will open up millions of new jobs in this country.  It does not matter if the rest of the world is using the lower priced products from countries with the lowest labor costs, our dollars will remain in the is country.  At the current time, that will mean billions of dollars remaining here instead of going to other nations.

Some might think this will cause problems in other areas of trade and make some of our current exports fail.  Yes, this is true, some countries will probably ban our exports to their countries, but in the long run we should come out way ahead.

The next step as I have mentioned at other times is to open up education and focus those funds into a quality multimedia training materials where anyone, of any age, at any time, can sit down to their computers and learn just about any topic in a structured and accredited fashion.  Lets open up education and give every citizen knowledge to build better products and services.

The last step to break these imports is simply for people to stop choosing by dollar value or even features, buy our nation's products and if they are not good enough for you, talk with our companies and try to find a solution.  Time for all citizens to stand behind this nation!  To some that may sould silly, but a few decades ago people took pride in this nation!

Right up front, I do not believe in war which I will try to post more about in the future in my ChristianLife blog.  That said though, I think it is far worse to keep going the ways things are currently going.  We are stuck in the muck over there and it has become all politics.

What is the solution?  To start with, at the first sign of issues we should have moved with large numbers so that the threat would have been brought out to justice instead of keeping troop levels low and allowing for so many to die.  They talk about a surge plan, I think it would be best to be talking about an invasion plan and move in with such huge numbers that there would be no opposition.  The peope of Iraq deserve some peace and propsparity as other nations enjoy.

Should we pull out?  I think at this point, it would be worse than going to war in the first place.  Pelosi and her group (her lemmings, not democrates in general) have it wrong and she would do much better staying in the USA and work out the many issues we face here not just taking photo ops for her 2012 run at the presidental election!  She was elected to do a job and not elected president of the USA, even though she thinks she is president.  The congress already has embarrassed itself for their lack of support of our troops!

Anyway, if we pulled everyone out tomorrow, then evil will rush in and fill the gap.  This will mean much more death over the long run and the poor will suffer more than any other solution. It would probably be best to send even more troops over in large enough numbers that they are safe and not killed every day. 

While I am no expert, I think the first order of business is to secure the entire Iraqi borders.  Once they are secure, start kicking all the trouble makers out of the country.  If they have to, go house-by-house and kick out the trouble makers and their families.  After a while, there will not be many who want to raise their heads and get themselves and their families kicked out.

About funding, I personally think the Iraqis should pay for the funding we spend in Iraq.  They have vast oil supplies and everything we have invested should be returned to our country, but just what it costs no over payments.

But how will the country of Iraq ever unite with such large differences in beliefs and rule?  I personally would opt for three seperate states with protected borders in an Iraq republic, much like the USA is a republic.  One of the sticking spots is who has control over their large oil reserves?  I believe it would be best if they split the profits, based on population levels between the three states with a small portion taken out to fund their federal government and provide for an Iraqi military.

From what I can see this simple solution would result is a strong Iraq, while still allowing their major differences to continue.

So, in the end fo the day, I think it would be best to send a large amount of troops (75,000 or more) over there and get things under control.  No more playing around with the terrorists!  Lets make it safe for our troups and the Iraqi people!