Sunday, November 20, 2005
China Emergent
Slightly more than a decade ago, a US president could have chastized China for its human rights violations. Today, China probably laughs off anything of the kind.
Bush's words ring hollow today. The reason, China is becoming a super power, while the US is losing its power. It has everything to do with the US trade deficit and China's growing surplus.
The US is sending an alarming amount of manufacturing jobs to China. (Yes,I know there are still jobs here.) Those jobs that are shipped over to China used to pay living wages. Now, those jobs here in the US pay a litte more than minimum wage. The jobs in China pay pennies on the hour, and the workers endure inhumane conditions on the job.
Some could argue this is good for the economy. Others would say its horrible. It's a matter of perspective.
If you look at the global economy, then a weakened US, and a strong China (and India for that matter) will make a global marketplace more competitive, and in the long run better for businesses around the world. The problem with this perspective, is its a long term view, and very short sighted.
This means the US has to give up being he world's greatest economic super power, and become just an average middle of the road economy, or worse.
This may be an ideal perspective for the world's billionaires and millionaires, but its not great for those of us that have to go to work for a living. Workers in the US will have to work more hours for less pay. This is not the American Dream.
The problem is investors. American businesses are more reluctant to invest in America anymore. They look at the short term turn around, and not the long term gain. They see American workers as expensive, and Chinese labor as cheap.
In business-think, cheap means profitable, and a dollar today is better than two tomorrow.
What's not being considered by the investment community is the following: if Americans make less money, how do they afford housing? If Americans make less money, who will buy all the crap that's manufactured. If Americans make less money, who will have the free time to enjoy the things in life that's being manufactured on the cheap?
Bottom line, we need business leaders to take a long term perspective. Invest in America today, or America's future will be bleak. What do we have today, American businesses pumping tons of money into jobs overseas, and a lot less here at home.
What's more important, business profits or the quality of life for Americans?
Slightly more than a decade ago, a US president could have chastized China for its human rights violations. Today, China probably laughs off anything of the kind.
Bush's words ring hollow today. The reason, China is becoming a super power, while the US is losing its power. It has everything to do with the US trade deficit and China's growing surplus.
The US is sending an alarming amount of manufacturing jobs to China. (Yes,I know there are still jobs here.) Those jobs that are shipped over to China used to pay living wages. Now, those jobs here in the US pay a litte more than minimum wage. The jobs in China pay pennies on the hour, and the workers endure inhumane conditions on the job.
Some could argue this is good for the economy. Others would say its horrible. It's a matter of perspective.
If you look at the global economy, then a weakened US, and a strong China (and India for that matter) will make a global marketplace more competitive, and in the long run better for businesses around the world. The problem with this perspective, is its a long term view, and very short sighted.
This means the US has to give up being he world's greatest economic super power, and become just an average middle of the road economy, or worse.
This may be an ideal perspective for the world's billionaires and millionaires, but its not great for those of us that have to go to work for a living. Workers in the US will have to work more hours for less pay. This is not the American Dream.
The problem is investors. American businesses are more reluctant to invest in America anymore. They look at the short term turn around, and not the long term gain. They see American workers as expensive, and Chinese labor as cheap.
In business-think, cheap means profitable, and a dollar today is better than two tomorrow.
What's not being considered by the investment community is the following: if Americans make less money, how do they afford housing? If Americans make less money, who will buy all the crap that's manufactured. If Americans make less money, who will have the free time to enjoy the things in life that's being manufactured on the cheap?
Bottom line, we need business leaders to take a long term perspective. Invest in America today, or America's future will be bleak. What do we have today, American businesses pumping tons of money into jobs overseas, and a lot less here at home.
What's more important, business profits or the quality of life for Americans?
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Leadership...
I've been thinking a lot about leadership, and what makes someone a good leader.
I was in a conversation with someone a few days ago, and off the cuff I mentioned that a leader is someone that picks a direction and goes that way, and in the process drags everyone along that direction.
I'll add one more part to that description. Good leadership is the ability to make decisions and follow through on them. It's also the ability to recognize when a bad decision was made, and pick a new direction.
Consider this with George Bush. He made a decision to go to war in Iraq, even though 1/3rd of the country was opposed to it. Now, around 65% of the country is opposed to the war in Iraq.
Bush made a decision. He charged ahead with his decision. His administration's poor planning, and lack of foresight have plunged our military into a quagmire, its emboldened, and increased recruitment for anti-American terrorsists, and it puts the US in a negative spotlight. Bush made a bad decision.
A good leader can assess whether a decision he made is good or bad. He will change direction if his previous decision was bad.
Bush is stubbornly refusing to make any changes, moves, or adjustments to his policy in the war with Iraq. Its not surprising that his poll numbers are very low. Bush is showing signs of poor leadership, and weak leadership. He doesn't have the wisdom, or personal humility, to admit the war was a mistake, and he's not willing to do what needs to be done to effectively win the war.
I've been thinking a lot about leadership, and what makes someone a good leader.
I was in a conversation with someone a few days ago, and off the cuff I mentioned that a leader is someone that picks a direction and goes that way, and in the process drags everyone along that direction.
I'll add one more part to that description. Good leadership is the ability to make decisions and follow through on them. It's also the ability to recognize when a bad decision was made, and pick a new direction.
Consider this with George Bush. He made a decision to go to war in Iraq, even though 1/3rd of the country was opposed to it. Now, around 65% of the country is opposed to the war in Iraq.
Bush made a decision. He charged ahead with his decision. His administration's poor planning, and lack of foresight have plunged our military into a quagmire, its emboldened, and increased recruitment for anti-American terrorsists, and it puts the US in a negative spotlight. Bush made a bad decision.
A good leader can assess whether a decision he made is good or bad. He will change direction if his previous decision was bad.
Bush is stubbornly refusing to make any changes, moves, or adjustments to his policy in the war with Iraq. Its not surprising that his poll numbers are very low. Bush is showing signs of poor leadership, and weak leadership. He doesn't have the wisdom, or personal humility, to admit the war was a mistake, and he's not willing to do what needs to be done to effectively win the war.
