04.13.11
Only servants do his shopping
Good news, lads! Good news! If we go to war with China, there’ll be no more of these for awhile.
Laugh out loud feature piece by Bill Gertz in today’s Washington Times here.
Yet another in the popular theme of China’s growing military, listing its allegedly puissant cruise missiles, its patrolling of nearby seas, and one decrepit half-finished aircraft carrier, said to be almost ready to go, bought from the ex-Commies, the Varyag.
Breakout graph from admiral of the Pacific theatre, describing the nature of the threat:
“If I were asked what biggest challenge I face as the Pacific Command commander, I would tell you it’s the relationship between the United States and China, in order to advance that relationship to ultimately become a constructive partnership, if that’s possible,??? he said.
The admiral obviously doesn’t get out much, perhaps having only servants doing the shopping.
When all the goods in American stores are from China “constructive partnership” doesn’t really describe any present or potentially future relationship.
Here’s how it is — “Joined at the hip like Siamese twins.”
So let’s have a brief thought exercise, imagining the implausible, a shooting war breaking out between the US and China.
What happens, other than the military actions?
All goods from China cease. The middle class sees all US stores run out of stock of sundries. Wal-Mart, Target, everything like them, BestBiuy, all hardware stores, all consumer electronic stores, Bed/Bath & Beyond, sporting goods stores — all crash and go bankrupt. Unemployment becomes truly massive, a new recession to make the Great Recession look small ensues. People watch video of the bombers methodically destroying China’s military for a month. The military is the only place where employment is stable. After two months, television watching stops too as cable is disconnected for non-payment.
Fender Musical Instruments and Gibson are put out of business. The value of old, even mostly crap, instruments skyrockets. Old classic rockers enjoy revival as they are one of the only groups of musicians who can still go out and entertain locally.
In the next election, every incumbent is voted out of office.
With the flow of exports to the US and everywhere else cut off, massive unemployment in China ensues. Caught between the US military and rioting in the streets, the Chinese government destabilizes. All it’s new military hardware is destroyed in detail. This takes four to six weeks.
The war ends. The world is dragged into a great depression, having lost what’s left of the buying power of the US and almost all its sundries and electronics manufacturing in the short term.
Happily, Apple goes out of business as manufacturing for all its iKit ceases and demand subsequently plummets for what’s left because of bankruptcy in the US working class.
Used vinyl becomes very valuable. Fights break out in pawn shops as people scramble for old semi-functional turntables. What stock is left goes for thousands of dollars per item. Garages are ransacked nationwide.
The new “retro” novelty products can no longer be bought, either, because they were all made in China.