Posted by JM Ashby
John Kerry has always impressed me with his ability to beat you to death with the truth. In his speech to the Center for American Progress, Senator Kerry employed his matter-of-fact style to surmise the epic challenges facing our nation in the 21st century and the obstacles that are preventing us from meeting those challenges.
I call this an inconvenient speech because the majority of America is entirely unaware of just how close we are to becoming second rate. In the minds of conservatives, the idea that America could be replaced as the dominant economic force in the world is inconceivable. The notion doesn't even register in their vacant minds. Its American exceptionalism or bust!
Perhaps the possibility of taxes going up by three percentage points is just too threatening to spend a moment pondering anything else.
This speech is long but very much worth your time:
I talk to my friends and family about these issues all the time. I tell them that China's GDP is forecasted to surpass the U.S. by 2020 if not sooner. I tell them that the purchasing power of Chinese citizens will soon overcome the purchasing power of American citizens and when corporations no longer need us to buy their shit, we're in for real trouble.
Asian and European countries are making the necessary investments for the 21st century and we are doing what? Sitting on our thumbs while conservatives, Tea-Baggers, and conspiracy theorists alike screech about taxes, gun-rights, and government takeovers. Socialism! Marxism! Communism! Did I mention that the overwhelming majority of those social groups are old Baby-Boomers headed into retirement?
Every conservative politician you can stick in front of a camera right now is making pledges that are in direct contradiction to what needs to be done if we care about our future.
When does it end?
Thanks Karoli