|
Trade Deficit
To: US
Government
Re: Prevention of Coastal Erosion
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.
|
