As we move further into the 20th century and America's rise to global domination as the singular superpower in world history, it will be important to keep economic concerns in mind. This is a Presidential election year, so there is much that will be said both true and false, both good and bad about any and all candidates and incumbents. One of the most popular refrains is that China owns the United States. Read the following article and then compose a Complex-Split Thesis introductory paragraph for an essay about the article (no, you are not writing the essay, just composing a solid, complex-split thesis introductory paragraph that would start off such an essay). DUE: Thursday, March 1 by midnight.
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/21/who-owns-america-hint-its-not-china/
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/21/who-owns-america-hint-its-not-china/
24 comments:
In recent years, many Americans have lost faith in the ideal of the United States as THE dominant superpower in the world, often succumbing to fears that other nations, such as the rapidly developing country on China, are more powerful than the United States, or "own" America through the possesion of large amount of our national debt. Socially, China is far behind the democratic, people-centered government of the United States largely due to the fact that it's communist government fails to provide rights to the very people group communism was extablished to benefit; the working class. While economically expierencing rapid growth, China does not own the United States economically. In fact the Chinese portion of the United State's debt only totals to 8 percent, or approximately 1.16 trillion dollars. Although this sum is large, it does not come near to the amount China would have to own in order to "own" or control America. In addition the United States is one of the bulwarks of China's economy with as much business as the United States engages them with. Therefore, China is far from controlling the United States in any way, especially economically.
Over the past decade many Americans have been led to believe that China owns America's debt the truth contradicts this misconception. While many foreign countries such as China, Japan, and the U.K. own a lot of our debt the fact remains that America owns America. The truth both fortunately and unfortunately is that America owns more than half of our own debt. China is, however, our largest foreign debt owner. Though if we were to default on our debts to China it would severely harm not only our economy but our international relations and influence. Thus in a way China does have a noticeable measure of control over our country.
This is America land of capitalism, land of high risk and profit margins, the nation where the government is told to keep their hands off when it interferes with profit and where cries are raised when recession hits that the government does not do enough to regulate business. Until the day arrives when Americans take an interest in their nations politics and become educated then politicians will continue to eloquently deceive the ignorant, knowledge is power and if you control this knowledge then you have power. Perception is everything, truth is a myth whoever presents the more convincing argument speaks the truth in the public's mind. Manipulative statements will continue to pour from both the easily accepting ignorant and the manipulating individuals who stand to gain from these misconceptions, until the democracy declines and public opinion ceases to be a concern of societies leaders. We say our government is a peoples government but really it is a government using the people
to advance their agendas, lying to us and distracting us from matters that do not look benefit their reelection campaign. Politicians and those seeking their chosen parties election will continue to alter the truth to benefit their own agenda the fault lies with us, the people. Firstly, in a democracy like our own every citizen over the age of eighteen is allowed to vote, secondly, we promote a rigid two party system where you are either a Democrat or a Republican creating “blind voting” or more accurately ignorant voting, and finally, Americans do not research thoroughly on their own voting based upon what they have seen on television or heard from friends and family. Thus exaggerated or fictional so called facts will continue to manipulate Americans and plague our beautiful democracy.
Cassel,
I appreciate this meditation on the state of things, but it is not responsive to the prompt. You need to write a complex-split introductory paragraph as you would for a DBQ. I think a lot of what is in this posting is readily transferrable to the introductory paragraph. And dude, somtimes you are such a misanthrope!
Currently, many Americans have fallen prey to the lie that most of their debt is to China creating the fear that our democracy is in danger. Although this is untrue, the issue of America's debt to China is continually being magnified thus creating the misconception that China "owns" America when in reality America will continue to be a superpower or at least better than China for economic and political reasons. Economically, research and math evidently shows that America's debt to China is only 8% out of the total debt, that is minuscule compared to debt that is owed to other Americans; Politically, China has too many internal problems within its government holding back their citizens from probably reaching their own potential with governing. Thus, for economic and political reasons, China does not have and cannot place any control the on the United States.
Many Americans believe that the US is owned by China due to our extensive amount of debt Socially, Chinas population is not as stable as the US due to its communist government and the people to do not have freedoms like we do; politically, we own China with our democracy which is much more successful than communism and finally economically, China does not own America through debt because our money owed to China is only .9 percent of our total debt. Thus for social, political and econmic reasons, the United States is not owned by China no matter how good it sounds in political debates.
If "the business of America is business[...]", as was famously stated by Calvin Coolidge, then America is deeply in trouble; though not with any other country more than with ourselves both economically and socially. Economically, America owns 77.1% of its own debt, compared to the 22.9% of the US debt owned by the rest of the world; and socially, oil exporting countries own $229.8 billion of US debt, though only 1.6%, oil prices are continuing to increase as a result, in order to help pay it off. Therefore, both economically and socially, America is defaulting more on itself than with anyone else.
In the past decade the U.S.A has built a large amount of debt to multiple nations. The American public, as a result of the media, has begun to believe that the majority of this debt belongs to the East Asian nations of China and Japan. Economically it is shown that America, rather than China or Japan, owns the majority of American debt, though socially the American public continues to believe in the impending crisis of being owned by another nation, as politically government officials continue to make false promises of "regaining" the American nation from the hands of others to attract supporters. Thus the misconception of the debt crisis is seen economically, socially, and politically in the U.S.
As we continue to go through the 21st century many American people, politicians and the common worker alike, believe and continue to argue that China holds most of America’s debt and will end up owning the U.S. one day. However most people continue to ignore the facts because they are either ignorant, misinformed, or they are using this untrue story for their own personal gain and/or advantage. Politically, this story has been blown out of proportion and perverted to make a good debate topic for American politicians in order to appeal to voters and above all else get reelected. This misconception that China owns America is nothing more than a fable, thought up to tease and please the American mind. Does China really own America or do we own ourselves? Statistics show that we Americans hold more than half our debt. Can China truly own us if they only carry eight percent of all the American debt as opposed to us owning more than half? Socially, this story has been preached as truth, depriving the American people of possibly beneficial cold hard facts which calls into question are so called “honest” government. Do we control our government or does our government control us? Our ignorance shown through this topic has shown our government might not be to blame but we ourselves for accepting what the government preaches to the public every day. Intellectually, this unveils just how ignorant Americans are this day in age and that we might get most of our information from the media and government who are taking advantage of us by advocating this story(and undoubtedly others). Therefore, through the falsehood and corruption brought about by this story, it has called into questions the overall integrity of America and our ability to make conscious arguments and decisions in every day life.
Over the years, the United States has grown deep into debt, and more often than not many people are led to believe that China owns America's debt. However recent studies has shown that America itself owns its debt. Economically, America's debt to China is only 8%, while it's debt to itself is roughly 68%; politically, China's Communist government has caused many social and political unrest and socially, China's working class has become prey to the harsh tactics of Communist rule. Therefore for economical, political, and social reasons,China will NEVER become the ultimate superpower of the world.
(DUDE that was ALOT of debts!)
Over the past century and the current one we are living in today, America has accumulated a tremendous amount of debt. The phrase that China owns the U.S. is a ridiculous accusation that numerous Americans believe in, when in fact the situation has become a bit misconstrued. Politically, candidates and incumbents extensively advocate that China owns America only so they can say that they can bring the U.S. out of such a predicament in order to gain the vote; Socially, Americans have been and can be easily persuaded into believing just about anything without knowing the truth or seeing the math; and Economically, statistics show that the portion of our debt to China is $1.16 trillion and $912.4 billion to Japan, which is only a fraction of what America owes. The debt we owe to foreign countries is not even half of the amount of what we owe to ourselves. Thus, for political, social, and economical rationales and even when America is indebted to many other countries, it is not accurate or proven, and somewhat absurd that the East Asian countries, most especially China, will ever have the ability and the "superpower" to own us.
Firstly my paragraph was a complex-split thesis note the three arguments and the "thus" to tie it together this makes it a complex-split thesis. As to the prompt, I was responding to the prompt only to a larger picture then the one given by going beyond merely the saying that China owns us. I believe after all of the boring DBQ's and introductions something different would be welcome to an essay grader. Misanthropic? not familiar with the word but it sounds ill.
Anika and Alissabeth, could you re-edit your posts, clean them up. There are a number of grammatical and syntactical issues with each. Cassel, you are fundamentally a ranter when you get on the blog scene, I think you should do a blog of your own called "King of the Cassel" in which you go off on things and point out the absurdities, inconsistencies, and hypcrisies that you find. I think that with a good degree of tongue-in-cheek, it would be frightfully popular!
To quote Benjamin Franklin,"The borrower is a slave to the lender and the debtor to the creditor." This is the theme of the American economy today. This is what America's relations with China is, as well as those whom America had borrowed from. Economically, though it seems as though America owes more money to America, and our heaviest debts go straight towards the Federal Reserve and intergovernmental holdings, along with the stocks and bonds, the truth is, China is a close third in which our debts are owed to. Politically, it seems as though China is so far behind in the political spectrum with communism that capitalism will keep us from extensive debt, but obviously has proven false with the wrong leadership. Socially, in America, the government spends a lot of their budget on the people which is the definition of a democratic nation. Most of these programs, however, result in useless pools of money towards absolutely nothing. Therefore, through economic, political, and social factors, America does not own China, but China does not own America either. It all depends on the future decisions with both nations economically, politically, and socially.
For the last Decade Americans have been led to believe that one day China would own the U.S due to their large debt. Truth be told China is only a small portion of our debt, which is 8 percent of it. Firstly, America is ecomomically in debt to itself then any other foreign country that has a part of our debt; Secondly, Looking at it economically China wouldnt be able to take over the U.S because itself fails to do so with their own communist government. Therefore, America will always be a superpower compared to China with our debt to multiple foreign countries(biggest one being the U.S itself) and politicaly with our different governments it will not continue to operate under the control of China.
Many Americans believe that China ons our country's debt but that is not entirely true. Though countries such as the U.K., Japan, and China own much of our debt America owns its own debt. As we own much of our debt China is our largest debt owner. Even as we are experiencing economic rapid growth, China does not own us economically any other way. Politically, China has too many internal problems within its government holding back their citizens from probably reaching their own potential with governing. Intellectually, this unveils just how ignorant Americans are this day in age and that we might get most of our information from the media and government who are taking advantage of us by advocating this story. China in fact only owns 8% of the United States debt. As China does not own the U.S. there is no reason to believe that China owns the United States Thus, China is far from ever contolling or owning the United States in anyway. politically, intellectually, and economicaly.
American's focus to much on the negative of our nation, specifically our increasing debt. There is a poular misconception that China owns our debt and that China will over power us as the sungular global superpower. This is incorrect as America owns the majority of its own debt and while China owns a good portion this doesn't necesarely mean that we are in China's growing shadow. It is nice to have tohers in your debt, yes but to e in somone elses debt means you are in a place of safety as the Nation we are indebted to, China, wants their money back and they will not try to bring our nation down, on the contrary it would be in their best interest to boost up our economy so that they could get therir money returned to the as soon as possible. America has nothing to worry about when it comes to our debt to China, and we need to focus on building up our economy and restoring it to our state prior the recession so that we can work on paying off some of that debt.
Mike Garr
APUSH
3-27-12
Over the recent years, America has increased their amount of debt with countries, such as China and Japan, as well as debt with itself. However, it is thought that America is so in debt to China, that China "owns" America; this is not the case. Politically, politicians (especially presidential candidates) hype this rumor up in order to get attention from potential supporting fans; Economically, America owes roughly 60% of its debt to itself, thus making China, with only 8%, no where near owning America; Socially, the American media, similar to politicians, help this rumor continue on. Therefore, politically, economically, and socially, it is portrayed that America is owned by China.
Ruth Bozhko
Recently the American populace has been led astray from the actual facts of our debt and who this country really owes the most money to. Many Americans have fallen victim to the mentality of China becoming a super power one day and eventually over coming even the United States itself. This is a large misconception because in reality America owes the most money to itself. Although we do owe a large sum of money to different countries, China is only a small eight percent from the overall picture. Socially; Chinas communists goverment will never measure up to American democracy, Economically; the United States is still far ahead, and Politically; the Chinese goverment still struggles with political and military corruption. Thus politically, socially, and economically the United States is and will always be a superpower, even the debt we own cannot put us behind because we grow so fast so quickly.
Recently Americans have been led to believe thatour country is in less debt than we truley are. America's debt only totals to 8 percent to China, but that is approximately 1.6 trillion dollars in debt. The sad truth is that America owns over half of it's own debt, 68 percent, but China owns most of it. Meaning, that China, in a sense has the ultimate power over our country, because China can keep us in debt for as long as they want to. We can not keep ignoring our debt, we've paid all our debts off to the countries we've owed, why not to ourselves?
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