Change is in the air

The world is in the midst of an economic revolution which began some 40 years ago. At that time China was just coming on the scene and they used unethical ways to gain economic power. First off, they secreted away proprietary R&D from Western companies saving them years in development. Next, they offered government assistance to new companies in the form of tax breaks and direct subsidies. This was followed up with manipulation of currency to lower export prices. Then production began with little or no worker safety, no environmental rules and low wages using children and slave labor. In time Chinese products like appliances and electronics overwhelmed the West and manufacturing jobs began to move to China. This process continued into mining, technology and pharmaceuticals and has resulted in the West becoming dependent on China. The result was the loss of good paying jobs for working people and a rise in living standards for the rich. Today the top ten percent hold 70% of the wealth and each year the gap widens. One example is that 40 years ago the CEO made 15 times what the factory worker made and today that number is 300 times as much. The first cracks in this system appeared when Trump, an outsider, challenged the status quo. He pointed out the unfair trade practices that resulted in trillion-dollar trade deficits and started demanding reciprocal tariffs. He then pushed for more equitable payments to the UN, the WTO and WHO world organizations where the US was paying far more than a fair share. Next, he asked NATO countries to start contributing their fair share while demanding that the EU start paying for their own defense. All of these things have disrupted the old ways of doing business and is the beginning of an economic revolution. These changes are just starting and can be seen by the amount of both foreign and domestic investment in the US and manufacturing jobs returning to the US. The establishment, led by the bureaucracy, is fighting to maintain the old system and they are joined by rich and powerful. Real wages for working people are increasing faster than inflation and if that continues the changes will continue. The working people have only one weapon and that is their vote.