Sirs:
This is to
advise you
that from
time to
time, often
I am able to
dream about
ways to
improve our
country and
it’s
citizens. I
realize that
I am not a
member of
any
established
institute of
higher
learning or
some
exclusive
think tank,
but I still
feel my
theories are
valid and do
need to be
considered.
I do not
charge for
these pearls
of wisdom as
I feel this
is my duty
as an
American and
that we all
should give
something
back to our
great
nation.
Last night I
had one of
these
insightful
dreams or
inspiration
occurrences.
Please pay
attention
from this
point
onward. This
is very
important.
Yesterday,
the
newspapers
announced
that the US
had another
record-breaking
trade
deficit for
the previous
year. If I
recall
correctly,
we as a
nation,
purchased
something
like 600
billion
dollars
worth of
items from
other
countries in
2004. As I
understand
it, this
means these
goods were
manufactured
in some
other
country and
shipped to
us here in
the States.
Now, listen
to me
closely,
let’s assume
the entire
country is a
big bucket
surrounded
by water. If
I continue
to pile
things into
this bucket,
it is
eventually
going to
sink lower
and lower
until
finally it
is even with
the
surrounding
water and
will be
flooded at
some point
in time.
Perhaps a
big piece of
carpet is a
better
example, you
choose,
whatever
visualization
method makes
the most
sense to
you. Bear in
mind that we
are buying
heavy things
with these
600 billion
dollars and
then moving
them from
one part of
our planet
to the part
where we
live.
Visualize
Japan and
China
getting
lighter and
the United
States
getting
heavier.
Anyway, I
think it is
fairly
obvious that
if we keep
importing
foreign
goods into
this
country,
year after
year, and
adding all
of that
weight to
our fragile
landmass, it
is only
natural that
we will
ultimately
sink further
into the
sea. This
will force
the entire
population
of the
country to
move to
places such
as Denver or
Idaho. They
have the
space there
to fit us
all in, but
from what
I’ve read
they
wouldn’t be
too happy
about having
250 million
of us moving
there at one
time.
Perhaps we
could space
it out over
a number of
years so it
wouldn’t be
so bad.
However, I’m
not sure
they have
that many
houses or
Starbucks to
serve our
needs. They
might need a
few more
Laundromats
as well.
I ask you to
recall your
basic
physics
classes and
remember
that energy
never goes
away or mass
never dies
or something
along those
lines. This
means that
the total
weight of
other
nations
could
eventually
be shifted
onto our
borders and
where do you
think that
will leave
us? I don’t
have the
answer for
this since I
failed most
of my
physics
classes, but
I have sent
this
question off
to some
folks at
Harvard and
expect an
answer
shortly.
Once they
realize the
seriousness
of this
situation
I’m certain
they will
want to fly
me to their
institution
for some
sort of
consulting
contract.
Obesity of
our fellow
Americans is
one thing,
but adding
more weight
to our
sensitive
environment
due to
overzealous
consumerism
is another
story
altogether.
I’m
surprised
some of the
environmental
activists
groups
haven’t seen
this glaring
and obvious
problem.
With our
shorelines
receding
year after
year at
alarming
rates, I
feel it is
time we look
at this as
soon as
possible. I
think most
of you will
agree with
me that
unless
something is
done to stop
this harmful
practice we
could all be
shopping for
apartments
or home
sites in
Boise.
I feel the
real story
behind this
is buried in
national
politics and
this is the
real reason
we have not
heard
anything on
this issue
from either
the
Republicans
or the
Democrats.
They just
don’t want
to discuss
this
potential
disaster.
Reforming
social
security is
one thing,
but telling
the American
public they
can’t have a
plasma
television
made in
Japan is
entirely
different.
It’s time
the leaders
of this
country
stood up and
investigated
the
impending
crisis
before it’s
too late. We
as a people
need to
realize that
our
continued
purchases of
automobiles,
televisions,
DVD players
and toaster
ovens is bad
for our
economy as
well as
being bad
for those
living along
our nations
coast line.
As I develop
more
scientific
data on this
I will keep
you posted.
