| Blogs > jmenyo > My Blog |
|
美国见闻，正在凋零中的“美国”(转载) 最近花了一个月时间到美国跑了一趟，完全颠覆了以往对美国的印象。有感于国内许多人对美国深植内心的幻想，觉得有必要将所见所闻写出来，与朋友们共享。让大家从另外一个角度，了解真实的美国，对自己的祖国有信心。 1. 美国的海关官员 飞机在洛杉矶机场降落，首先碰到的就是美国海关官员。在通关的柜台前坐着一个官员，问我到美国来干什么。我说来美国参加学术会议（本人民间学者，没有官方身份），同时拜访我弟弟（本文称他为钟）。那官员接着问我，你想在美国呆多少时间？我说三个月，按照正常情况，如果已获签证，都会给几个月的时间。 那官员接着问，你带了多少钱？我说带了1千美元。那人脸色出现微妙的变化，马上问我，你有没有卡？我不知他说什么卡，反应不过来。他掏出一张Visa（信用卡），在我目前晃了晃。我马上说我有银联卡，并拿出来给他看。他看了看，把卡扔回来，要我把钱包给他看。我觉得太莫名其妙了，长这么大，从没有人说要看我的钱包。但这时身不由己，只好将钱包递给他。那官员一张一张地数完1千美元，让我站到边上等着。 过了十几分钟，来了一个人把我带进一个大房间。里面已经有十几个人，大多是中国人的面孔。房间内有一排玻璃窗，后边坐着三个海关官员，正在盘问。盘问过程非常缓慢，有时半个钟头也没有问完一个人。一个钟头以后，房间里有个女人急了，拿起手机，拨通了在机场外接她的亲友的电话。还没有讲几句，只见玻璃窗内一个长着驴脸的女官跳起来，大吼一声：“不准打电话！”。随后怒气冲冲地跑出来，一把抢过那女人的手机，高高地举起，耀武扬威地向房间内所有人展示一圈，回到玻璃窗内，将手机扔到一个架子上。 屋内所有人都被这个她的举止惊呆了。来自中华礼仪之乡的我怎么也想不到，号称自由平等，民主博爱，总唠叨着维护人权的美国政府官员，会如此态度傲慢，行为粗暴，不近人情。在中国海关，不可想象国外旅客会被这样对待。如果中国官员敢在政府办事厅内如此对待老百姓，就有可能发生争斗，官员搞不好要吃不了兜着走。但这是在美国，你如果敢与海关官员发生肢体接触，她马上就会叫来警察，把你扔进监狱！ 两个小时后，终于轮到我了。还是那个女官员，问我同样的问题，同样要我把钱包给她看，同样一张一张地数钱。然后问我，你怎么有时间在美国呆三个月。我说我去年就退休了，有的是时间。她听了大声叫道，不可能，我不相信！（后来我才知道，美国男人要到65岁才能正式退休！）。然后她又东问西问，整整纠缠了半个钟头，在我的护照上戳了个印，说只能给你一个月的时间！ 出了机场我问钟，为什么会这样。钟的一句话，就让我茅塞顿开，原来他们嫌我带的钱太少。1千美元，不可能在美国呆三个月。他们不认识中国银行的银联卡，认为我肯定要花我弟弟的钱。中国人来美国，不是让你来花钱美国人的钱的！ 我第一次直接感受到美国人赤裸裸的拜金主义，这种感觉在我后来的所见所闻中一再地被强化。比如我还听到一件事，一个大肚子的中国女人来到美国海关，海关官员问，你是来美国生孩子的吧？那女人说，是的。海关官员问，你带了多少钱。女人说三万美元，卡里还有十万。海关官员又问，这是你的第几个孩子。女人回答，第二个。海关官员马上说，你的第一个孩子为什么不来美国生呢！ 对于讲究礼义廉耻的中国人，你有时真的无法接受这种处事方式。请兄弟到家做客，花点钱关你美国官员什么事！我来你美国是给你面子，能不能活是我的事，轮得上你来翻我的钱包吗？ 2. 美国的大城市 汽车离开洛杉矶机场，走了半个小时。高速路确实很宽，但沿途都是低矮的小房子。大多只有一层，一晃而过就不见影。远远看去，一排排木头电线杆树立马路两旁，电线乱糟糟地搭在上面，景象与国内的城乡结合部非常相似。我问钟，还要多少时间才能到达市区，钟回答道，早就已经在市区里了。 我大吃一惊，洛杉矶市美国第二大城市，市区就是这个样子？是的，就是这样！在中国的大城市，几年前就把电线都埋在地里。不要说这种乱七八糟的木头电线杆，连标准的水泥杆都不见踪影了。但在洛杉矶以及美国许多大多城市，这种几十年前的木头电线杆，仍然触目惊心地高耸在大街两旁。上面挂着许多电讯设备，在风中摇摇晃晃，难怪平家中的Wifi信号老是不稳定。 看过国内大城市的规模和繁荣景象，你一定会对美国的大城市大失所望。这里没有高入云端的办公大楼，没有金碧辉煌的酒楼饭店。只有大片低矮的平房，老土得很，陈旧的很。洛杉矶市这样，到大名鼎鼎的旧金山看，也就是那样。与八十时代的上海差不多，却远没有老上海的规模。事实上除了纽约，美国的大城市大多都是这个样子。只有在城市的中心区有几座高楼，其他地方都是不起眼的小房子。没有所谓的地标性建筑的概念，房子外观单调乏味，看上去到处都一样的。如果是外乡人，在这种城市里，你根本无法说清自己在什么方位上。 再看美国的商场，大多都在矮矮的平房内。由于年代已久，显得相当陈旧。洛杉矶最高档的商场只相当于中国的大集市，内部装修粗糙，设备老旧，堆满了来自中国和墨西哥的低价产品。与中国高档商场的豪华，雅致和气派相比，美国的许多大商场根本不入流。走进美国最高档的餐厅，也就国内肯德基和麦当劳的水平。如果在国内，你都不好意思在这种地方请客。 到了夜晚，美国的大多数城市一片死寂。你看不到国内的灯红酒绿，人流如潮。在中国城市的中心区，商业，购物，娱乐，消费，说不尽的繁华。然而在中国人夜生活最热闹的时段，美国人大多躲在家里，不敢上街，尤其不敢到市中心区。因为那里晚上是被流浪汉占领的，连警察都管不了。你如果误入其中，不知道会发生什么事情！ 且慢！在好莱坞的电影中，美国人夜晚的酒吧不是很热闹，很刺激，很性感，很疯狂吗？我告诉你，那是电影，好莱坞拍出来的电影！一般美国人住得很分散，他们会半夜三更开几十公里的车，到一个破酒吧去喝上两杯，再冒着被警察逮住的风险，开车回家吗？ 我到洛杉矶好莱坞的国际电影城，游览车开到一堵高墙前。墙上画着一大片高楼，灯火通明，极尽豪阔与奢华。导游不好意思对说，对不起，让你们失望了。兄弟，好莱坞大片中的城市背景就是在这里拍的。但这是一面水泥墙！赵本山是忽悠大师吗？不是，好莱坞才是忽悠大师，它把美国虚假的繁荣和价值观卖到全世界。 如果到洛杉矶富人区，情况就两样。道路平整洁净，路两旁草木修整的很好，看不到乱七八糟的木头电线杆。房子掩盖在树丛中，红绿相衬，如在图画中。美国富人多住城郊小镇，因此美国的小镇一般都很漂亮。穷人多住大城市内，大城市反而破破烂烂。 为什么富人区与穷人区会差别这样大呢？这就涉及到美国制度的问题，富人区的人有钱，交的税多，政府就认为有义务为他们多服务。穷人区的人交的税少，政府就不管事，破破烂烂随他便。这种事情在中国是不可思议的，在美国却是天经地义的。 3. 美国的公共事业 几天后我要去东部，想坐火车去，完整地看看美洲大陆。但钟告诉我，这事没门，美国没有客运火车。我顿时呆住了。在中国这个第三世界，快车，动车，高铁，应有尽有。火车四通八达，你随时要走就走。在美国世界经济第一强国，居然没有客运火车！ 更甚者，洛杉矶没有地铁，没有轨道交通，甚至连公共汽车都极其罕见。虽然满街都是小车，你却根本看不到出租车。外乡人到洛杉矶，如果被扔在路旁，可是要傻了眼的。实际上在美国除了纽约，大多数城市都没有地铁。为什么会这样呢？美国是资本主义社会，几乎所有的事情都是私人企业来做的。发展公共交通要大花钱，但可能不盈利，因此政府和私人企业都不可能干这事。 因此就每个人都买车，自己跑吧。美国社会极端的个人主义造成的后果就是这样，人人只关心自家的钱袋与后院。什么城市形象不形象，什么经济发展不发展，什么外乡人方便不方便，都与我无关。实际上几十年来，美国的社会发展已经停滞。城市，乡村，道路，交通，公共设施等，都是没有改变。几十年前在中国人看来，美国是天堂。现在的情况正发生逆转，中国人看来，美国是乡下，美国人到中国则目瞪口呆。 看到中国的高速发展，有些美国人也急了。于是有人提议，在洛杉矶和旧金山之间建一条高速铁路。这就如在中国的上海和南京之间修一条铁路，对于中国人来说，没有一条铁路是不可想象的。然而在洛杉矶和旧金山，这两个美国西部最大的城市之间，恰恰没有铁路。区区几百公里，别说高速铁路，就连货运铁路都没有。加州政府也意识到这个问题，前几年就已经开始为这条铁路征税，但到现在连一个方案都定不下来。对此加州有个议员不禁大声疾呼，难道未来美国要变成第三世界不成！ 洛杉矶城内有条高速路是断头的，与另外一条高速路只差一点点连结不上。原因是当地有人不同意让路，于是这条路就断了几十年。这种事情在中国人看来真是太可笑了，难怪毛泽东主席说美国人总是小题大做。一小部分人的意见相左，妨碍了大多数人的利益，这在美国是司空见惯的事。 那么美国有长途客运汽车吗，也没有！旅行社有旅游大巴，但你不可能坐他们的车去公干。因此在美国长途旅行只有两种方式，要么自己开车，要么坐飞机。美国高速公路非常发达，而且没有收费站。高速公路是多年前建的，过路费收够了就撤掉。但长途开车会累死，实际上只能坐飞机。那么航空服务业的情况又是怎样呢？ 首先看看机场，洛杉矶机场航空楼又小又老旧。埋没在周围的一堆平房建筑中，不到近处根本看不到。别说与上海北京的机场航空港相比，在国内随便一个省份的机场航空楼也比它强。到其他几个州的机场看看，则是更寒酸了。原因在于航空公司都是私营企业，能省就省，不到万不得已，是不可能拿钱改造的。 美国飞机上不提供免费食物，乘务员会问你要喝点什么。你如果说不要，她们就再不会来理你。在国内飞机上，空姐们一趟一趟地送喝送吃相比，感觉真是不一样。另外，美国飞机上的男女乘务员一个个又老有丑，看惯了国内航班靓丽养眼的空姐，你最好别看他们。 由于只能呆一个月，学术会议我无法参加了。原先定的飞机票要退掉，改签其他航线。打电话到航空公司询问，才知道麻烦大了。想退票吗，扣你30%；临时买票，加你50%。你现在不买，明天还要涨，涨多少没有封顶。在国内机票的价格是公开的，最多只是不打折，改签退票费用都事先说定。但在美国是没有标准的，扣多少加多少，完全由航空公司临时说了算。他说多少就是多少，你没有任何讨价还价的余地。 所以我告诉你，兄弟，什么叫做资本主义，这就是资本主义。公共资源被私人企业垄断，宰你没商量。你要投诉随你便，没有人会理你。政府不会管你，也管不了你。 不仅仅是交通，美国政府在其他公共事业上的投入都是非常少的。因为是资本主义社会，所有的东西都控制在私人手里，政府不作为很平常。比如洛杉矶没有公共图书馆，只有一些私人的图书馆。由于财力有限，规模很小，根本不成气候。与中国各地的大型公共图书馆相比，不可同日而语。 美国几乎没有城市中心广场的概念，看看纽约曼哈顿那个屁股大的时代广场，你就知道其他地方的情况了。而在中国，市中心广场是一定要有的，因为它是城市的名片。因此政府都进行重点建设，市民也最乐于游玩其中，人气最旺。 还有就是美国的城市公园，面积很大，但基本都是原生态，很少进行路面整修和环境装饰。除了双休日，平常很少人去，夜晚则谁也不敢去。不像中国的城市公园，虽然面积有限，但政府大量投入，精心设计，精雕细作，到处花丛锦簇，人文与自然景观相映成趣。白天是老人休闲健身的地方，夜晚则人流如织，群歌群舞，一片祥和。 4．美国的住房 什么叫做美国梦呢？抽象的理念可以尽管随便说，但具体到现实，就是成为一个收入稳定的中产阶级，有房有车。汽车是美国人的必备代步工具，谈不上奢侈，那就谈谈美国的房子吧。 也许说了你也不信，到美国我才知道，美国只30%的人有自己的房子，70%的人都是租房子住。原因有两条，一是你即使买的起，也住不起。二是美国人生活地点不固定，年轻时在大城市拼搏，租房住。到老退休后，找个生活费用低的地方，买个便宜的房子，安度晚年。 如果你不相信，我算给你听。以洛杉矶为例，一座普通的独立房子加上院子，面积600平方米，约1亩地，平均价大约50万美元。假设你手头有5万美元，向银行贷款45万美元，30年还清。按一般美国人的中等收入，假设你年工资5万美元。 首先，每年本金还款1.5万美元。其次，银行年利息按4%算，每年1.8万元。然后就是每年交美国政府的地产税，是房子价值的1.5%，不可减免。这套房子的地产税是每年0.75万美元，到此为止，就4.05万美元了。 然而事情远没有完，你每年起码还要交一笔数额不小的水电费和垃圾清理费。水费一般每年1千美元，电费1千多美元，垃圾清理费1千美元。除此之外，草坪和树木需要修剪，房子需要维修，等等等等，都需要钱。由于大多是木质结构的房子，特别容易损坏，维修是一件家常事。美国材料不便宜，人工费非常高。这种隐性的，意想不到的开支实际上会成为巨大的包袱。 举个几例子吧。钟的房子内有一个面积20平方的小游泳池，由于几乎没有用，想将它填掉。然而法律不允许你自己填，必须向政府提出申请，经过批准后才能填。但也不是由你自己填，必须由专门的公司，用他们的土来填。问一问价格，仅仅填土一项就要8千美元！这还是前几年的价格，如果现在做，加上地面的覆盖，要你一万多美元是没有商量的。 我就不解了，这不是你自己的房子吗？不要让他们知道，偷偷填了不就完了？钟说，那是不可能的。美国政府的直升飞机天天在头顶上转，如果发现你私自填了，他们找上门来，罚你到死。难怪我天天见到有小飞机在屋顶飞来飞去，还以为美国私人飞机多呢。 我又建议说，那你就不要填，把水放掉，减少开支，放上一些花盆和草盆做装饰，这总可以吧。钟说那也不行，原来什么样就必须什么样，必须充满水，还得保持干净，否则有麻烦。因此这个游泳池一直活到今天，钟每周都要花两个钟头清洗它。除了水费外，买消毒剂和洗涤剂的钱花了无数。 钟的房子前有一颗大樟树，枝繁叶茂。由于怕风吹断压坏房子，需要定期剪枝。请墨西哥人来剪一次，开价就是1千美元。我说你干脆将它挖掉好了。钟说，问过，要一万美元！我的天，这样一颗大樟树，多好的木头。在中国只要你说声砍了送你，马上有一堆人来免费为你砍。 钟的家装在屋内的电表太小，需要换大一点的，并移到屋外。电表公司的人看了说，3千美元。在国内就是几百元人民币的事，美国电力公司要收你近2万元。你干不干，不干拉倒。你去投诉吧，没门。美国法律保护私人公司利益，这种事没有人替你开听证会，你喊死也没有用。 以上仅仅是房子的费用。然后就是20% ~ 30%的收入所得税，根据具体情况，可以有些减免。再后面就是社会保险费几千美元，医疗保险费最少一两千美元，汽车保险费近千美元等等。除了以上的各种费用，还有日常生活的吃喝拉撒睡，以及不菲的汽油费。5万美元的年收入，你能撑得住吗？洛杉矶的房子还算不太贵，如果到纽约和旧金山，房价还要高出一截。 现在国内有些人说美国人7 ~ 8 年的收入就能买一套房子，真是笑话了。钟到美国二十多年，早年买的这个单元有三亩地，上面有四座小房子，钟自己住一座，其他三座租给四家人。收来的租金还银行贷款，但现在还差一大截没有还清呢。 为了维持一座房子，美国人就得拼命工作，不能失业。一旦失业，交不起本金和利息，房子就会被银行收走。2008年次贷危机，就是美国华尔街私人银行以优惠条件引诱穷人买房，然后进行所谓的金融创新，狂炒次贷概念引起的。由于穷人实际上没有还贷能力，造成银行大量坏账，导致金融泡沫，最后以许多人被赶出房子收场。由于泡沫被金融创新放大了几十倍，结果殃及全球。 如果租房子，就没有这些烂事。税收和还贷没有你的事，垃圾处理、水电、花草修剪、以及房屋维修费等等，都打包在房租内。你背个包住进来，背个包离开。因此大多美国人都选择租房，而不是买房。然而房租也不便宜，一套像样一点的独立屋，每月至少也得2500 ~ 3000美元。 所以我想对朋友们说，房子对中国人是个大问题，对美国人来说也是大问题。美国房子这块蛋糕看似漂亮，但也不容易吃。或许你能买得起，但可能你真的住不起。 由于税费众多，一般美国人的生活实际上都是紧巴巴的。没有几家人有闲钱放在银行里，大家都向银行贷款，都在花未来的钱。国内许多人不了解真相，以为美国富有。于是许多中国女人争相嫁给美国人，到了美国后往往大失所望。美国是好山好水好寂寞，在国内七姑八姨，麻将搓到天亮的女人们，能适应得了吗？ 我在美国有一个朋友，是当地华人协会的会长。他对我说，因为不能适应美国环境，许多大陆嫁到美国的女人都发生婚姻危机。打官司即不懂法律，又不懂英语，整天哭哭啼啼的。他已经不知多少次到法庭上，为她们提供帮助。看***这些年来，有多少女明星嫁了老外，但最后都是离婚，带着孩子回中国。明星们回得了国。那些没钱没有能力的女人，就回不来了。 俗话说子不嫌母丑，狗不嫌家贫。既然美国的好山好水与你无缘，临渊慕鱼不如退而结网。还是在中国的土地上，好好耕耘吧。 5. 美国的破落 一般人都说美国在衰落，我为什么说美国在破落呢？中国文字中有落魄子弟之说，意指向家道中落而又不争气的子孙。但如果是一个欠了一屁股债，不但不想还，还鲜衣怒马，耀武扬威，动不动就露出胳膊，对债主显示肌肉的家伙，你还真不好用这个落魄这个词来形容他。 更甚者，看到弱小的苦主，他就拔刀相向，砍翻后劫财而去，那就不仅是落魄，而是剪草为寇了。因此对于当今的美国，我在中文词库中实在找不出更好的词汇来形容，就只好用破落这个词了。中文中所谓的破落户，除了家境落魄，还有泼皮耍赖的味道。 当年日本准备与美国开战，海军大将三本五十六对日本天皇说，不可以，此战必败。他到过美国东部的工业中心，了解美国巨大的生产能力。日本的资源和财力有限，无法与美国抗衡。但日本军部不听，强行开战，结果导致二战惨败。 时过八十年，你再到美国看看，还有工业中心吗？没有了，几乎所有的工业都空心化，美国人现在只热衷于第三产业，说白了就是服务与消费。美国又回到好莱坞电影“飘”的时代，空气新鲜，阳光灿烂，青草牧羊，一片田园风光。只是现在的美国人有了新的奴仆，不是黑人，而是全世界人，全世界的人都在替美国打工。 美国凭什么呢？凭他的美元。美元是世界货币，全世界的人都在用，美国开动机器印钞票就行了。中国产品大量出口美国，换回来的美元在中国不能用，就用来购买美国国债。美国政府用这些钱吃饭和造军舰。中国政府用人民币向出口企业收购美元，导致人民币大量发行。加上没有等价的物质回流，导致中国物价飞涨。 美国人骆家辉来中国当大使，在北京弄出来一个PM2.5, 使雾霾一词成了搜索头条。在他指责中国政府的同时，有没有想到是中国人在代美国人受罪？没有中国的雾霾，哪来美国的山清水秀？美国人安逸的生活，精巧的手机和电器，廉价的物品和食物，其中包含了多少中国农民工的汗水。尽管如此，美国人未必感恩。 我曾经设想，美国政府不是整天指责中国没有民主，没有人权吗？就按曾经时髦过的新词“中美国”，将中国和美国合拼，成立中美国。中美国实行美国的民主制度，两国边境开放，人口自由来往。弄上5 ~ 6亿人到美国定居，美国干不干？不用选举，中美国由现任的美国奥巴马政府来领导。奥巴马在中国玩得转吗？ 美国政府欠中国几万亿美元，事实上已经没有能力偿还。美国官员甚至公开发话，说从来就没有想过要还。欠债还钱，这是自古的规矩。在当今世界怎么就不灵了？因为美国拳头大，手握几千枚核武器，十二个航母编队在世界各地游弋，随时开到你家门前吓唬你。美元是白条，我不用不行吗？不行，你敢不用，我就灭你。 小布什抛开联合国，进攻伊拉克，将萨达姆吊死。不是因为萨达姆有大规模杀伤性武器，而是因为萨达姆将石油卖给一些欧洲国家不收美元。美国与欧盟进攻利比亚，卡扎菲惨死于乱军之中。不是因为卡扎菲镇压民主，而是他想做非洲盟主，建立非洲投资银行，与欧美银行家分庭抗礼。为了保持美元的世界货币地位，华尔街银行家和美国政客们会不惜一切手段铲除竞争者。尽管国内经济困难，美国政府总是不惜一切代价，维持一个强大的军队，因为这就是当今美国的立国之本。 然而欠债总是要还的，自己不劳动，靠打白条过日子是不可能长久的。美国政府债台高筑，迟早要倒塌。华尔街银行家善于欺诈，这种欺诈导致2008年全球经济危机，引起人神共怒。在美国穷人占领华而街的行动中，自由女神已经不是耸立在纽约哈德逊河口，而是在昂立在抗议者中。 到美国旅游的中国人，往往被美丽的自然风景和乡村的田园牧歌情调迷惑，以为美国是人间天堂。在这种走马观花的逗留中，你是看不到美国社会深藏的危机的。更何况现代社会比拼的是实力，如果仅仅是田园牧歌，就可能被边缘化。你再看看美国大城市昨日黄花的尊荣，陈旧落后的交通系统，几十年一贯制的公共设施，冷冷清清的港口码头，你就知道，美国正在步大英帝国的后尘，走向没落。西方政府自由民主的普世良药如果真有用，还是先把自己的问题解决了吧。 再看***大地，到处一片繁荣，欣欣向荣。看看那些当今世界最大的工程，看看各大城市高入云天的摩天大厦，各地星罗棋布的工业开发区和企业巨大的生产规模，横跨在杭州湾上蜿蜒几十公里的世界最长跨海大桥，横贯中国东西南北的高速铁路，在高速公路上望不到边的车水马龙，上海黄浦江两岸的港口码头，吊车如林，千船竞渡的景象，以及世界各地来往中国的人流物流。你还相信世界的中心在美国，在纽约吗？ 当然，美国是百足之虫，死而不僵。美国至今还是军事强大，科学技术和教育先进。尤其在基础科学研究和教育方面，很多东西值得中国学习和借鉴。但是如果经济衰弱，优势都将消失。世界科学中心是会转移的，二战前世界科学的中心在欧洲。二战使欧洲消耗殆尽，科学中心转移到美国。如果中国真正强大了，世界科学中心说不定也会东移。 当然，中国自身也有巨大的问题，如贫富不均，环境污染，创新不足，官员腐败等等。需要中国政府痛下决心，做出改变。 中国人对自己的国家和制度要有信心，只有社会主义才能救中国。如果变成美国那样的垄断资本主义，即没有美国那样的生存空间和资源，又不能像美国那样随便印钞票，人口如此众多的中国老白姓必将再次堕入深渊。 I leave no trace of wings in the air, but I am glad I have had my flight. ---- Rabindranath Tagore |
|||
|
I just have a few things to say about what was said,, from a man retired who now remembers what his father has said but is now gone,, we all like a profit, but today there is no line between profit and greed,, greed runs amuck here, lobbyist are paid by corporate who tell the politician's what is needs to hear, corporate runs the world and trying to rid middle class, leaving rich and poor,, what a crying shame,, there is no more we the people in this country, it is we the corporate,, the U S A is a consumer nation now, lots of truths in what I have read here,, I am kind of glad I do not have to worry too much, no kids to go out in this world and do good,, all commenters have a good day,,
| ||
|
When it comes to the Nation to Nation comparisons, I don't think there is much that meets with any direct comparisons when factors are considered. One is the governance, the population volumes, the economics as well as the culture and the ideals of the people which is a few things among the many other things which exist in the spectrum of both places. My comments are more relative to the greed spectrum and the fast decline of many things in the US based upon the thirst for 'cheap labor" as if they were seeking a new source of slave wage labor. In the big picture and resulting outcome, it appears that was more of a concern and interest. than to try and help build up a nation which aspired to become more capitalistic in their growth modeling. Point one these are two Opposing Government Systems, The US has long considered the Chinese system to be inferior to the Democracy system. thus so, within those regards, I would not see the aim as being primarialy to build up China, but moreso one to gain benefit by and through the use of 'cheap labor, and to capitalize on the fact that the Chinese Government provides the human containment programming in their system, which means American would not be blamed for the 'abusive misuse the people may suffer", but it would still get 'slave wage labor", which is far cheaper than housing and feeding slaves on American soil. The base cost to house and feed a slave in America is about on Par with what is the Minimum Wage Structure. When they factored what is the cost of labor in China, it is 7+ times lower than the cost of Minimum Wage which means by value cost basis, it is cheaper than it would cost to maintain slaves or pay indentured servants. The only true gainers in the outsourced companies from America is the American Executive. The American workers result to loose their jobs, their homes and their cities deteriorate. They become to have access to conditions not unlike what modern day slaves would have or indentured servants could afford to have. Therefore, what the writer described as being a shocker, as to what they would have thought to see, based on movie folklore and the hype publicity of American media presentations and the claim of a higher living standards. Was a true shock to the person who came here for a short visit. The writer seem to be amazed that the Modernization within Chinese cities has become far superior to the conditions and existing structures they viewed. Then the writer went on to discuss the disparity caused by the income spectrum and the fact that at 40k it did not afford any better conditions than people in China who make less than 40K and certainly not the higher standards which people in China who make equivalent to 40k would have access unto. Its an interesting article, it has some misconception in various things, but the over-all of the article and the writers disenchanted results is what was interesting based on their aims of comparison variables.
| ||
|
No I cannot read Chinese, I use the tools available for translation. Even it translates and may appear somewhat as broken English in the phrasing when it translated, I can understand what the English translation is stating. I've love to have the ability to read and speak Chinese, unfortunately I don't have that skill ability with languages.
| ||
|
But after all, I think the development and improvement of public works and transportation are the foundation of economic development. That's why the author of this passage was puzzled about, as the money didn't invest on infrastructure, where did it go? Social welfare? I don't think it went to social welfare. I think it was stolen by the Investment and Banking Industry and the multitude of administrative shams which exist. corporation upon corporation has been over leveraged and looted. If you look at the quarterly reports, many many many corporations "always have millions, 10's and 100's of million, they claim in charges, then look at the exercise of stock options, and ultimately the demise of the companies. Most of these criminals know when to cash out, how to hide and drain off the money. We have single CEO taking home 10's and 100's of millions of dollars annually. The charts which show where Federal money goes, which I can't post the link, shows that a great amount goes to pay down interest on debt, military and the amounts that goes to HUD and things as such is very small in relation. But we have many contractors who rip the government all the time, with cost over-runs and producing things which reach a cost that some has to be abandoned simply because cost over-runs are excessive. Look at the number and the speed of people becoming billionaires today. It is alarming, but it moves at a rapid rate, the same as despair for the masses moves at a rapid rate. 1-3 -5% own much of the money in this nation. As the article said, many people are trying to make it on 40k, but if you look across the spectrum, there are millions of people who earn from $18-28-30k as being more common. We have some states which need freeway repair, but instead we spend 30-50+ ( billion a month) fighting pointless wars for 10 yrs. When President Obama came in and took a single Seal Team and caught and killed Bin Laden.. Yet, Bush spent 10 years and Trillions of dollars and all that resulted was many people were killed, a lot of rocks blown up and a long term debt to care for the multitudes of wounded, along with a vast amount of war materials and products that now has not use but a high cost for transport and storage. This does not count the billions that must go back into Iraq over many years to try and fix some of what was destroyed as well as compensate the people who will be filing claims for the next 10 or more years. We should have been investing in building, expanding our industrial capacity and fixing our infrastructure and securing the homes of the citizens with reasonable loans and a fast past to establish low interest fixed rate home loans for all American who own homes under 750K. ( because of the over priced value of some of these homes which in a normal world would only be worth, maybe 200k. in some cases maybe even less based on material quality and sq footage. But the over price by location is much of the culprit of the over priced units. Eventually, there will be some reforms, because in both America and China, people are frustrated with the messes.
| ||
|
Much of this I've written about. some of the foreigners look at TV and think this is a paradise. The 1950's industrial boom nation is not anymore. you said it right, the wealthy have long tried to RECREATE Gone with the Wind, Antebellum Southern model, where the wealthy control everything and everyone else is a slave or an indentured servant. Now the wealthy look to China and every other place for slave wage labor, while the wealthy STEAL everything. When American Boast Billionaires, it means the money has been taken from the average american and the average American is struggling. The same with China, when the wealthy claim Billion of Yuan, the common average people are suffering. The big difference is, China's government build for the people to use, America relies too much on private industry, and private industry will always rip off the public. That's why we have no high speed rail, and no good commuter rails system. If the government was in control as it was during President Roosevelt, American would still be building and growing. President Obama had a great mess to try and fix, and still at every turn the Republican fight him, because the Republican are only for the rich to get richer. All the billions allocated to infrastructure has been again stolen by the wealthy contractors and they have not done the work, but drained off the money. President Obama pushed for banking reform and Wall Street Reform, but the Antebellum minded Republicans fought against it. Cities can 't build and grow and Industry can't thrive, because the university trained thieves have been trained with a Antebellum mentality, of seeking slaves by any means. Which meant they outsourced everything and loot the rest by any means to feed their sense of entitlement based on degree claims because the university filled their heads with this self enrichment mentality. Long ago the telephone poles should have been gone, and wires put underground, but the greedy executives in the electric companies would rather over pay themselves and steal every penny they can find. So nothing improves. People are so Anti government in America, until they have destroyed everything by the individual greed. I don't know what city you visited, but many cities are far less than they could have been. They do not have a chance to rival the size of Chinese Cities, but we also do not have the population of China. China has no choice but to build massive cities, it has nearly 4 times as many people as the United States. America biggest problem is university trained goons who think their degree means they should be rich. So they do anything by any means chasing the aim to become wealthy, no matter what they must destroy to do so. They go into companies make bad policy and have no idea of how to respect community, they will sell anything, because they have no sense of legacy, nor do they honor maintaining traditional industry nor Institutions of industry. We have a pathetic push for college, as if everyone thinks they will be an administrator. When American shipped all its Industry to Japan and then to China, they thought they would manage it from their offices here, but they did not count of the fact the Chinese once they got money would take over ownership and management of their own affairs Today, all the pursuit of slave labor has made those the wealthy tried to enslave become the wealthy whom now these wealthy people in American has to borrow from. Greed and Avarice is always a maker of fools. It is not only something that happen to America, it happened to Japan, and it is happening now to China. China has big cities with lots of people in motion, but many are struggling still, the wealthy they gain among the common people will buy less and less and thus the struggles don't change much for the common people. China has massive problem, some with people, and the challenge of the poor, some with education of the poor, care for the elderly and they have massive environment problems they can't even began to conquer. Global greed is amazing. The suicide rate is japan is very high, and the use and abuse of people in unsafe working condition plagues many areas of the Chinese sub industry. When Chinese women come here and find that this is not a 'walking and interactive community as they have in China, they will feel generally isolated, and thus become homesick and the relation often times face challenge. Especially when they find they are not living like the images they saw in the TV and movies. China and America has vast corruptions, both are different types of corruption, but its both about money. The wealthy here will build cheap low quality things and over charge for it, the Chinese have unfair parctices that result to do much of the same, except government project can and do move ahead in China. But China does not have the expense of social programs to the extent as American and if it did, it would find it could not sustain them because China has nearly 4 times the people to provide benefits to than what exist in America. There is no Utopia. Period.... even when one think of the Nordic Regional Countries, they derive much of their seeming wealth, from their abuses in foreign lands via their investments and usage of poor country labor and scavenging natural resources. Many cities have glittering building touching the sky, but on the streets below it is a challenge for people in the everyday spectrum. Every place has much old stuff, and many places that have built new things, it is mostly for the well to do, because the poor can't afford to go there nor live there. I would say, the idealized view of the 1950's and 1960's TV and the current day Hollywood TV, is fiction, and the sooner people realize it the better off they may be and the better prepared they are for the reality. IN Any Nation when individuals become billionaires, it means the volume of the people who are classified as being poor has increased. dramatically. When American Real Estate held value above debt, the bankers found a way to drain off that money, the game of the interest rate game was not purely because of the poor, it was because the wealthy devised a plan to increase the interest rate above the ability of jobs to provide pay to the people. It was not the fault of the people, but the bankers and Wall Street gamblers. It was nothing more than a game where the wealthy stole the value from the homes of the people. Today we have more billionaires than ever before. all can be tied to some type of theft and over charges upon and against the American people. What you see and the things you saw is a result of greed. Families who built up industry and sent their kids off to University, the kids graduated and sold everything because they came out of school thinking they should be instantly wealthy, have the big home and expensive cars and expensive dining, luxury vacations and wear over priced cheap made designer clothing's. Here in the South, vast areas are deteriorated, because the kids sold off the homes and business their parents spent a lifetime building. The exact same thing happened in Japan, during the 1970's and 1980's, by the 1990's there was not more lifetime jobs, and the suicide rate and craziness swept across Japan like a wildfire. Today their young women are too concerned about looking good and fashion games, until they no longer want to have children, so Japan has a severely aged population and they have outsourced so much industry seeking slave wage labor, they are in a bad way. The same is coming to China, because its already happening, the people want opulence and luxury, and they are willing to do anything to get it and sacrifice anything for the illusion of having it. Today, Chins is doing everything American did in the 1950's and 1960's and trying to do it based on 1980's and 1990's American TV imagery. Women in Chinese got deluded by these 'sex in the city" delusions and games with relationships, they became dis-satisfied with every aspect of live and pursue the same fashion and style and luxury the very same, and they are willing to do anything and risk anything to get it. Never knowing it is nothing but a delusion that leads to the ultimate downfall of the society and the social ability to have a culture that stands on anything. Chinese come here and do the same thing the Japanese did, they want to move to the most expensive community, have the most expensive car, send their kids to the most expensive schools and give them the most volume of luxury. These kids will do exactly like American and Japanese kids, which is grow up and sell it all so they can support this illusion. Then they will seek out every criminal means to try and sustain it. This cycle is like clockwork, and it repeats itself with different cultures playing the same greed and avarice game, which always results into widespread squalor and dilatation of the landscape. Detroit is a prime example the whole world should have learned from, but they did not, and one by one they will re-create the same thing. Already the Chinese have a elitism divide among their people, the well to do want nothing to do with the poor and the very wealthy want nothing to do with the well to do. The poor continues to struggle and find it harder and harder and those that do escape to have some means, their kids grow up seeking to feel entitled to the same, but they don't want to wait and grow and earn it, they want it right now. Capitalism will always lead to Plutocracy, and Plutocracy will try and function like a Monarchy and the ultimate result is downfall. China is caught in the circle, because once it has had its taste of money it cannot turn back, and greed and avarice will do to it, the same it has done to the Europeans, The Greek, the Romans, the Egyptians, and every other cultures that has pursued this avarice based greed, gluttony, sloth and haughtiness of fools pride and vanity consumption. It is an unavoidable reality, because Capitalism will always feed Capitalism and what will result will be the cycle which leads to decline. It's why the meek inherit the world, sadly, what they inherit is severely damaged by the wealthy and made almost unlivable.
|
