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wkdshadow -> RE: Fuck You Chavez (2/10/2008 7:04:41 PM)
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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic
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ORIGINAL: wkdshadow
How would you feel if the roles were reversed, and other countries were controlling the US
Well now, that would sorta depend, Shad. Did these hypothetical other countries build our infrastructure?
Most of our infastructure is actually well behind the rest of the world. We're behind on fiber roll out, power infastructure, public transportation, quality of medical care for those without insurance, and various others. The funny thing is this is our own fault. People have the "not in my back yard" mindset when it comes to nuclear power, despite the fact it's been shown that nuclear power actually releases less backround radiation than it's coal counterparts.
http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev26-34/text/colmain.html
We've also come alot further on reactor technology, with the creation of Fast Breeder Reactors, which actually generate more fuel than they consume. With liquid metal fast breeding reactors, we need not worry about cooling failure. I'd like to point out that three mile island didn't result in any fatalities, or increase injury to the public in any way. Chernobyl was the result of operator incompetence, and intentional disregard for safety regulations.
As for broadband infastructure(the fiber rollout), the US government gave 200 billion to the telecom industry - SBC, Verizon, BellSouth, and Qwest specifically - to replace all copper communications wire in the US with fiber optic cable capable of bidirectional 45mbps speed. It never happened. They pocketed the money. Similiarly, the Telecom Act of 1996 was passed which allowed the telecom industry to up prices so that they could invest in new infastructure. The prices were upped, and again the money was pocketed. As of right now, over ten years later, there is barely any fiber roll out to the home at all. The only consumer ISP offering the service(in extremely limited areas, at 5mbit, instead of 45mbit), is Verizon with their FIOS offerings. Oh yeah, you've gotta pay for that to be installed. So, while you *can* get fiber to your home if you live in the right area, it doesn't even compare to other countries. In sweden most people have 100mbit fiber to their home, for £70/mo. Most of asia has comparable service as well. How much are you paying for your 5 to 13mbit DSL/Cable?
Don't believe me?
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22200+billion+dollar+broadband+scandal%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0607/
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Feed us? Most food programs are actually NATO operations, of which many nations are a part of, and which many nations fund. It's interesting that we spend so much money on feeding other people too, while we have so many here that starve.
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Educate our doctors and engineers? America is not the leader in engineering, nor has it been for a long time. There are also fewer and fewer engineering students each year. People pay to come to our schools, just as we pay to goto their schools. This doesn't give us the right to run their country as if it's our own.
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Send organizations that build schools and health clinics for people that had never had such opportunities? Again, largely done through NATO. The funny thing is when our politicians give out no bid contracts to their friends companies(Halliburton anyone?), noone seems to pay attention to that. Also, the extention of services would be noble if it wasn't one of the tools of modern western imperialism.
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Did they cover our asses during the Cold War, so our economy could be pointed to growth instead of feeding the military? Yes, we had allies in the cold war. The funny thing is, a lot of the tension in the cold war revolved around the "American Empire", that is, our imperialistic tendancies when it comes to foreign relations. Another tention was our large military, and the arms race that gos back to WW1.
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Does their navy serve as a deterrent to piracy of our shipping? Yes. Most nations have a Navy of some sort, and NATO also maintains a navy. But since when is it our duty to patrol someone elses waters?
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Do they allow us to emigrate to a place of far greater opportunity and prosperity and send millions of dollars every year back to the US to support our poverty stricken families? Yep, you can immigrate to most countries if you would like to fill out the right paperwork and go through the right steps. Also, the economy right now is in the shitter.
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