The road we choose:

Monday – January 17, 2011

The road we choose:

No matter what we do, no matter what events shape our lives, we do have a choice to travel the road of destiny.

This week, the President will meet with Chinese President, Hu Jintao. Many things will be discussed. The Chinese President will be philosophical in his approach and President Obama will be a gracious host. Both realize that the road they take their countries down in the next twenty five years will be a road that causes one to be filled with potholes or one that is smooth and fast.

So far, our history in negotiating with China has been one that was born out of selling bonds for cash. The Chinese, on the other hand, have negotiated out of strength. The one thing we both have in common is the need to survive. Both of our countries need each other. The Chinese needs the U.S. to grow their economy and we need the Chinese to keep our economy solvent.

However, the road to negotiating can be a tough one if you negotiate out of fear. John F. Kennedy said as much in his inaugural address on January 20, 1961. In the 14th paragraph of the speech he said: “So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”

President Kennedy knew the value of strength and he knew the value of holding strong on American values and principal. No one can accurately tell us what Kennedy would do this week with the Chinese. But we do know that he would never have created the deficits that have weakened our position. Some would argue that was a different time. That might be true it was fifty years ago and the world was a different place. But one thing remains constant. Our system of government is unique to the world and is one that is not honored by many in the world.

It is easy for me to sit by and observe. It is easy for me to find these tidbits of history and make them fit my argument. It is easy for me to publish a FORUM everyday. It is easy for me to voice my opinion to the audience on the World Wide Web.

It is not easy for a government official who needs the buy in from another government leader when the agendas are different.

The Chinese look at America as one that is weak and one that will do anything just to keep the consumer buying. The Chinese know that consumption is what makes us tick. The Chinese know that we Americans love to go to Wall Mart every Saturday to fill our carts with the products they make because they are so affordable. Regardless if the merchandise is cheap and does not reflect quality, they know it doesn’t matter.

I was at Marshall’s yesterday looking for a new non stick fry pan. I could not find one that was made in America. So I didn’t buy one. I decided to wait a few weeks and spend a little more money on a non-stick pan that was made in America at another store that isn’t a discount store. You might be asking: what do a fry pan and negotiating have in common? It has everything to do with negotiating, because we can be come strong if we demonstrate a desire for quality in our products over a cheap price.

The Chinese will manipulate their currency and make it virtually impossible for us or other countries to compete. The Chinese value our business but they do not value our form of government. The Chinese value honor but they don’t necessarily value a fair playing field when it is given to them.

So where is the FORUM going today? I am not going to rail on the President because we are now being told we must be civil. I will not criticize the Chinese because they have a tradition in doing business that we must respect.

However, this doesn’t stop me from saying what I would do, if I were negotiating. If I were negotiating I would be polite. I would show honor and I would meet strength with more strength. I would be gracious and I would demonstrate my ability to engage in battle with tactics that they understand.

I would be firm in asking them to stop manipulating their currency. I would tell them that I am imposing a tariff of at least 20% on all goods coming into this country. That, in itself, would eliminate our debt and the payments on the interest. I would instruct them on the benefits of allowing their companies to build plants here to sell their products here. I would then say they must allow our products and our companies to do the same. I would then say, in about 25 years, you would start to see the benefits of free enterprise and start to feel the effects of a society that appreciates when the right thing and the honorable thing is done when human rights are looked out for through self reliance and responsibility.

I would also say to them that we have seen the error in our ways and we are now prepared to do something about it. This is the road we are choosing to go down.

When America acts tough and can demonstrate that toughness with action we will never fail. When America votes we often times vote for the strongest candidate. Sometimes we make a mistake. A mistake here only costs us four years and not twenty five.

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: This week will mark the fiftieth anniversary of JFK’s inauguration. I don’t think America made a mistake then, because of the road that we, as a nation, were looking to go down. JFK said on that January morning:

“We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.”