I believe in “American First, but not alone”.



·   

“The global order that endowed Washington with such extraordinary privilege is changing fast. As China continues its rapid ascent, the United States’ relative power erodes and with it the ability to set the terms of the international system. On issues ranging from defense to technology, trade, climate policy, North Korea, and Iran, only the support of U.S. partners can now steady the balance of power. U.S. strategists and policymakers have sought to enlist that support by invoking China’s nefarious activities on the global stage—the debt-trap diplomacy of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, the militarization of the South China Sea, and China’s chilling use of digital surveillance. They paint a picture of an increasingly shuttered world that runs on conspicuous Chinese coercion. This narrative bears more than some truth, and in it the United States is the only alternative or retort.” The Usurpation of U.S. Foreign Policy, By Mira Rapp-Hooper, Foreign Affairs, October 3, 2019.


NATO is not obsolete, but President Trump is right about the countries of Europe needing to pay a greater amount for their own national security, and not rely so heavily on the United States.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Congressional Candidate Rick Olson (MN2) Breaks Party Ranks

Statement on Impeachment Vote in the U.S. House of Representatives Rick Olson, Republican Candidate for Congress, MN District 2 For more info: 320-248-9933, olson48176@gmail.com,  http://rickolsonforcongress.com Sunday, December 15, 2019 – For immediate Release This morning a Star Tribune reporter informed me that Angie Craig had decided to vote “yes” next week on the motion in the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach President Trump, and asked me if I were in her shoes, how would I vote. When I took office as a State Representative in Michigan in 2011, I swore an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. That oath is still binding today. I understand the Founding Fathers viewed the impeachment process as very similar to the process in a criminal court. The prosecution presents evidence in a preliminary hearing. If the judge hears sufficient evidence to believe a crime has been committed, taking the evidence as true on its face in the absence of any defense from...
Read more

Our Changing Climate: Options to Consider

Image
Our Changing Climate: Options to Consider ·          Have you noticed that the past few “normal” Minnesota winters have not been as cold as 20 or 30 years ago? According to University of Minnesota scientists testifying to the Minnesota House of Representatives earlier this year, between 1895 and 2015, average daily low temperatures in winter have increased. In the northern part of the state, they’re up 4.8 degrees over that period and 3.4 degrees in the south. One study pointed out that between 1959 and 1978 Duluth averaged 45 days a year in which the average daily temperature did not top 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 1999 and 2018, there were no such days. ·          Have you noticed that the emerald ash borer territory has moved north with the borers not killed in the winter as the winters have gotten warmer, such that our state’s ash trees have been disappearing? ·    ...
Read more

Skeptical about Climate Science? It is smart to be skeptical.

Image
The paper below establishes (1) who accepts the scientific evidence that climate change is real, primarily caused by humans burning fossil fuels and that it is urgent that we do something about it and (2) who does not. If after reading this, and you are still skeptical, I would love to hear from you about how you evaluate sources of information, i.e., how you determine who you should believe and who not - not only on this issue but on other issues. "Skeptical about Climate Science?   It is smart to be skeptical. By Alan Anderson, Northfield. But please consider: The scientists and leadership of these organizations . . . agree that human-caused climate change is happening, mainly due to greenhouse gas emissions, and that the consequences of not significantly reducing CO 2 emissions are negative, irreversible and   will imperil all future generations. 1.        The American Petroleum Institute : “Few things threaten America...
Read more