So What Are You Going to Do?

The top advisors see it is over -

But I can think of no event since Bretton Woods comparable to the combination of China's effort to establish a major new institution and the failure of the United States to persuade dozens of its traditional allies, starting with Britain, to stay out.

And

The US spends three times more than China on “defense.” Advantage: Pentagon. But as the Persians discovered in their wars with the Greeks, having the biggest, best-funded army does not necessarily give you an edge. Instead, it can invite sluggishness, complacency and overreaching.
The US military is the fattest, most zombie-infested bureaucracy in the world. It suffers from an overabundance of resources. It supports troops (at a cost of $1 million per soldier per year) all over the globe.
It builds weapons systems that are often obsolete before they are put into service. It coddles armies of lobbyists, contractors, consultants, retirees, hangers-on and malingerers.
Like all bureaucracies, it looks out first and foremost for itself. Looking out for the security of the nation is a distant second.

And having humiliated the USA hegemon over the AIIB, the Chinese are taking a victory lap and inviting the USA in as a junior partner in Asia.

Washington's new attitude, though far from enough, is a good beginning. As the world's sole superpower, it too shoulders its own responsibility to usher in a better global lending system as well as a better world through cooperation with others.
Washington's blocking of the AIIB has proven of little avail so far. The sensible next step would be to continue bridging the gap with China and find itself an appropriate role in the new initiative.

Further, whereas in capitalism big business writes the rules that advance the program of "get big or get out", China is forbidding the kickbacks, bribes, graft etc that is legal in the USA system for big business.

China does not pursue protectionism and it will continue encouraging the inflow of foreign investment. The establishment of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the decision to set up free trade zones in Guangdong, Tianjin and Fujian, and ongoing efforts to push forward the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road all mean that China is opening wider to the outside world.
Yet that does not mean indiscriminate acceptance of foreign investments. China welcomes investments that can benefit its green, healthy, sustainable development while keeping those that do the opposite. The anti-monopoly campaign is aimed at creating a healthier environment for foreign investments, not to discourage them.

China has massive problems.  But a small, viable drug company has a better chance in this world in China then USA.  Yes, so does a snake-oil company, but the Chinese will weed out the bad ones eventually.

Two fellows are hiking in the woods, when they see a bear cub on the path ahead of them.  Uh-oh.  Where is the she-bear?  Bad news, behind them, they are between the she-bear and her cubs.  One hiker drops down, pulls off his hiking boots, and proceeds to put on his Nikes.  The other says, "Are you kidding, you cannot outrun a she-bear in the woods..."  The fellow putting on the Nikes replies, "I know, but I only have to outrun you."

The Chinese need only be a little bit more attractive than USA, and right now, they are way more attractive, according to the last world vote.

Bonner has it right (above) the problem is our military and our bureaucracy.  We cannot support them and rebuild our economy.  What needs to be done is really quite simple, freedom, but what we choose to do is massive "urban suppression" exercises on how to crack down on dissent.

We have what it takes to win, the right ideas, but people in power never want the right ideas, they want the self-serving ideas.

And sheriff's deputies told the Houston Chronicle they would ensure residents living near where aircraft were slated to create disturbances and drop soldiers, civilian and military vehicles will barrel through and where blank rounds would be fired.Jim Stewart with the Brazos County, Texas Sheriff's Office told the Chronicle that such exercises are far from anything new. 'Special ops for years have trained off-post for years, where they go out and have folks that are role players out on the economy,' said the Army intelligence veteran. 'They'll have a scenario they'll be following and they'll interact with these role players as if they're in another country.'

Oh.  Training soldiers to interfere in the economy and act as though they are in a foreign country.  How about end the banking regulations that destroy small business, or end Big Pharm monopoly, or separate state and education...  so many things would revive USA as powerfully as the internet revolution that came from telephone deregulation, but no.  What we will do is play theatre with military practicing special ops in USA.

Start your own business, it is the only life raft left.  If you have paycheck, property, portfolio or pension, you are a sitting duck.  Those soldiers need to be paid, and sitting ducks will pay them.

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