China’s work ethic beats our decrepit democracy

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

The global competition between China and the U.S. is about which nation can build a stronger military. The economic benefit of China getting six times the manpower for every dollar spent echoes how China is building six aircraft carriers while the U.S. is building only one. China is building its military with our trade-deficit dollars, thanks to a corrupt, incompetent Congress.

The U.S. has the problem-prone 125-mph Acela train on 400 miles of track. China has 200-mph trains on 13,000 miles of track. Claims of Chinese inferiority ignore global reality. China’s “Panama Canal” moment is the new two-day Beijing-to-Paris train on its new Silk Road network. In the U.S., we cannot fix our decaying highway infrastructure or dilapidated schools. But we have millions for sports camps and beer buses, thanks to ill-valued politicians.

In a war with China’s larger, better-equipped military, we would have to use our reserves upon which we, as a nation, have spent trillions of dollars — the NFL, NBA, NCAA, NHL, as well as Facebook. China funds a major-league military while the U.S. economy funds major-league play.

America suffers from habitual politicians supporting habitual players. China’s arsenal of efficiency will defeat America’s abandoned, decrepit arsenal of democracy. China’s work ethic will triumph over our play pathos.

Robert S. Barnett.