Homestead mailing list

[Rob <becidawa AT hctc.com>]

>  No way can we produce soybeans as cheaply as Brazil, just for
> example. Even our poor people need more money than any competitor to put a
> roof over their heads and food in their bellies

I have visions of a major manufacturer, say textiles just to use one, who 
one day announces that they cannot compete with the low overseas labor 
costs and on Monday the company has three choices.
1) Lock the doors and put the place up for sale.
2) Lock the doors and move everything overseas to a lower labor cost area.
3) Start paying just $2 an hour.

I know, in reality they are not allowed to offer to keep the place open by 
paying lower wages. They DO just lock the doors, sell the land & equipment 
and move overseas. In time maybe that will change but that's how it looks 
from where I'm sitting.

>  From what I read these days, United
> Europe may even overtake the US in power and prestige for maybe a generation
> before the world enters a period that is dominated by the Asian countries.
> Of course, if Europe and Asia have nowhere to dump the products they're
> turning out, maybe all we face is a grim future.

I see it as almost a toss up as to which power takes the lead, a United 
Europe or China. My bet is on China, they are not only expanding their 
economy/industrial base but they are spending all that cash on 
military/industrial technology and training. When China finds a way to 
counter the US technology edge and they are in space we are all in for a 
change. A growing nation with a long term plan is something to watch out 
for. (Our long term plans never seem to go past the next election).

> Socialism is very much like the "King Saul" effect that took place with 
> the federal Certified Organic standard everyone thought they wanted -

I thought the Fed Organic standards were invented by & for agribiz.


> > It sure seems like someone ought to be trying to figure out how to maintain
> > a world economy, but instead we have everyone trying to grab his before the
> > world runs out of stuff to grab.
>
> Alas, that 'economy' in the minds and musings of most has now deteriorated 
> into a vision of idle consumption.

Globalization is going to bring us down to two major players. The Corporate 
block and the "Government" block. There will be different players in each 
group and a lot of overlap but it will be those two.
When you get right down to it, it will be individuals looking for power & 
those individuals will be standing behind 'their' group.

Having a homestead with the ability to produce as much of what you need as 
you can will be a big plus. As long as you can stay off the radar....