By Bear Howard
Sedona, AZ — The world didn’t quietly shift while America was sleeping—it moved on. India, with 1.46 billion people, has now edged past China’s 1.47 billion. Together, they represent over one-third of humanity. Add in Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, and a Europe charting its own course, and you get a clear picture: the 96% isn’t waiting for the U.S. to lead—it’s leading itself.
Meanwhile, America, just 342 million strong, a mere 4% of the global population, still gorges on 25% of the planet’s resources. That math isn’t just unjust. It’s obsolete.
The idea that China and India are “emerging” powers is an outdated myth told to soothe egos. They’ve already emerged—and they’re sprinting forward. Both nations boast massive labor forces, rising middle classes, and fast-evolving industrial backbones. They’re not asking for a seat at the table. They’re building the table.
And what is America doing? Clinging to military might like it’s still the Cold War. While China spends 1.5% of its GDP on defense, the U.S. shells out more than double that—3.36%—to maintain global dominance in a world increasingly indifferent to tanks and aircraft carriers. Because the battlefield has changed. It’s not about bombs anymore—it’s about batteries, semiconductors, broadband, and supply chains. The tools of power are microchips, not missiles.
But instead of facing this reality, America is chasing a ghost: the factory floor of the 1950s. Trumpism peddles the fantasy that we can bring back the good old days with a hammer, a hard hat, and some patriotic grit. What it ignores—willfully—is that the future of American industry doesn’t run on muscle. It runs on machines.
If we’re going to rebuild our manufacturing base, it won’t be with rows of sweaty workers and lunch pails. It’ll be with robotic arms, predictive algorithms, and AI-driven logistics. The factories of the future need two kinds of people: high-skill engineers and low-wage support staff. And guess who’s lining up for those less glamorous, physically demanding roles? Immigrants. As they always have.
America’s industrial muscle has always flexed on the back of immigrants—people desperate enough to do the jobs native-born citizens reject, and proud enough to do them well. Yet in an era of nativist backlash and MAGA-fueled xenophobia, we’re turning away the very people we’ll depend on to keep the gears turning. That’s not just immoral—it’s economic self-harm dressed up as nationalism.
Let’s be honest: the average American doesn’t want to work a warehouse floor or scrub down an automated facility. That kind of labor has become culturally taboo. We teach kids to chase dreams, not weld seams. We glorify startups, not steel mills. Our education system points toward entrepreneurship and creative expression, not industrial endurance. We’ve psychologically outsourced the grit that built our economy.
Compare that to China’s “9 9 6” work culture—9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week—or India’s relentless drive to rise from rural poverty through manufacturing jobs. These cultures have normalized sacrifice in pursuit of national development. We, on the other hand, have normalized comfort, convenience, and click-to-deliver consumption.
So what does that mean for “Made in America”? Right now, it’s a bumper sticker. Not a strategy. Unless we embrace automation and immigration, while shedding our exceptionalist pride, we’ll remain an expensive, slow-moving outlier in a fast, fluid world.
While Trump rants about trade deficits, China quietly signs trade deals across Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and even with our neighbor, Canada. It’s building alternate supply chains, independent of U.S. whims. It doesn’t need our market the way we think it does. With 1.5 billion customers at home, it can sell to itself—and increasingly, to the rest of the world.
The global center of gravity has shifted. The era of America-as-world-boss is over. This isn’t the decline of a country—it’s the decentralization of power. The question now isn’t whether America can lead, but whether it can even keep up.
Because the race has already begun.
China, India, and much of Europe are hitting stride—disciplined, trained, lean from years of preparation and adaptation. They’ve studied the terrain. Built alliances. Tuned their economies like athletes in peak condition.
And then there’s America. Still at the starting line, hunched over and wheezing, clutching nostalgia like an inhaler. Drunk on past glory. Arguing with the coach. Dismissing the stopwatch. Claiming the rules are rigged. Proud of its old trophies but untrained for the current terrain.
The 96% isn’t asking for permission. It’s already in motion.
The finish line? Innovation. Resilience. Global relevance.
And America—bloated with pride, hobbled by division, and obsessed with rerunning a race it already lost—is falling behind with every passing lap.
Because in a world that’s sprinting toward the future, a nation stuck in the past isn’t just losing—
It’s being left for dead on the track.
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13 Comments
Many truths you speak of.
But lets get down to what has happened over time. For the older crowd, remember Reaganomics?
How about Neoliberalism?( and no it wasnt invented by liberals) See the whole point was outsourcing.
They started to break the unions in the 70s, doubled down on it in the 80s. CEOs got a nice raise. Then they moved things south where people “dont need me no union”. CEOs made a little more.
Then we found other countries to send our factories for cheap labor! Did prices go down? No those CEOs now were making real monies. Why use over priced Americans to do the same jobs?
CEOs laughed their way to the banks. These new exploited workers, didnt complain about 3rd world wages. They didnt want healthcare. Never asked for a pension or a 401K!
And here we are. Sure you can bring jobs back. The federal minimum wage is still $7.25….So how could you afford anything making that? Inflation has been with us this whole time. So what will give?
Will CEOs stop making over 500 times more than the average worker to bring those jobs back?
Greed runs strong. The I got mine F you i strong with the wealthy. And hey they are the ones paying for laws to keep wages and benefits low! Then add insult to injury, they get their tax breaks over and over.
So it must sound cool and a great idea if you were not around in those days. Yes automation has always been around, and it will continue. Would the American worker spend more on made in USA? Will Walmart go back to their ads that have the American flag on those products made here?
It all sounds so good dont it. But be real, understand how we got here, and dont expect much change!
This problem was created by and for the most largest Corporations to get rid of the American middle class, and it has worked better than their wildest dreams!
Dont believe me? Please look up outsourcing. Reagonomics. Neoliberalism.
https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-pay-in-2021/
WS Dave
they are willfully destroying liberty, Justice and freedom for all with their Fascist Agenda. I’ll likely be dead and gone (to their Hate-filled Fascist Joy!)by the time they get the true justice they deserve for their crimes. I suggest they each do their own research on what has happened to Nazi Fascist Sympathizers throughout history as they continue to lie and cover for their Criminal Insurrectionist Fascist Self Serving Anointed King! Of course this won’t happen because most are Holocaust Deniers and Fascist DICKtator Putin Puppets like their leader!
All Hail King Nothing! Self professed King of Felony Crime!
Here’s my critique of why Democrats are where they are- powerless to combat a fascist coup government takeover.
Obviously they failed to learn from history especially M’erican history and the Civil War initiated by Racist Fascist Slave Owners and Sellers, the genocidal Fascist campaigns to purge the rightful owners of this country from their lands (Hitler loved the way we did it and copied it). The hesitation to join WWII because of Nazi loving Lucky Lindy and his brainwashed greedy anti semetic racist self, the KKK march down (and ideal behind the Nazi March on Charlottesville VA)Pennsylvania Avenue, the Nazi Rally inside of Madison Square Gardens (ideal for ill Douche’s NOTsee Rally). They should have seen it all coming with the Fascist Murders of Civil and Human Rights Leadership the advent of Anti American Fascist Militia’s who claim to be Patriots despite murdering people, robbing banks, blowing up government buildings etc., Demand to own weapons designed for military combat not hunting or personal protection under the lie that they are somehow America’s Standing Legal Army and the 2nd Amendment distortion that a musket equals an M2 .50 Cal Military Machinegun. The pardon after pardon of Felonious Criminal Presidents who refuse to abide by the rule of law and Committed Felony Crimes Against M’erica- Nixon, Reagan, H W Bush, W Bush and Dumbass Dump the bigliest Felonious Criminal thus far! The Criminal Fascist OKC Bombing, the Turner Diaries, theft of military weapons such as heavy machineguns, anti tank missile systems, mortars, explosives and land mines from bases here in the states (some of which were taken outside the US and sold and majority of the rest Fascist Yn American Domestic Terror Milia Groups. But most of all the slow takeover of SCOTUS with corrupt criminal Judges willing to lie to Congress while under oath during their confirmation hearings.
The Democrats should have seen this all coming and should have while in power made a duplicate government for the very reasons we see happening to what once was under MAGA and DODGE purges of Truth Honesty Integrity and Fact! They should have learned from every Fascist Criminal Tyrant the US has hunted down and very violently KILLED since the inception of our government.
They failed, We all failed except for the gleeful MAGA Fascist who supports the destruction and elimination of American Democracy and Democratic Ideology!
Having said that, Democrats can at least have good reason to celebrate the Fact that they Are NOT Nazi Fascist or Nazi Fascist Sympathizers like the MAGA Cult is!
DOGE has made a big impact on Washington. But government spending is up.
https://apple.news/AMHa82s-zQTygjhEFbCtiMQ
Nothing like failing bigly at the expense of the people these morons are supposed to be serving! Not putting thousands of middle class M’ericans out of work and into debt to satisfy a DICKtators vendetta against those who exposed him for exactly what he is!
JB, like always nothing adds up.
For years we have heard there are 11,000,000 job openings. Yet the infamous wisdom of Trump and the GOP are cheering for deportations? Legal or not!
So if I can get this correct? Immigrants are baaaaad. But penalizing those people who hire them, you are to look the other way?
Then you have the “right to work”….Yes the right to work for less. The right to lose your job because you have the wrong colored socks on. The right for a non-union person work side by side a dues paying member. Yet the guy not paying dues gets all those same benefits. Dont be fooled the GOP hates workers and just helps Corporations and the rich!
If you havent figured that out yet, you not paying attention!
On the other side of their mouths, and want stuff made in USA? Hu?
Hey Republicans, why didnt you listen when unions and middle class people when they were losing their jobs?
Oh thats right you got your junk cheaper!
Its the GOP that make hypocrisy a policy!
Legal Immigration. We either have laws or we do not. Pretty simple.
Yep like laws that apply to everyone including the current POTUS who does not abide by them and has broken hundreds of them.
I’ve been 100% totally and permanently disabled since 2011 (after a 20 year continuous battle while I was dying of chemical and radiation exposure due to my service) according to the VA and 1999 according to the SS now known as DODGE Owned and Mismanaged! Sent me ther most ignorant letter I’ve ever read, seen or heard of from SSA. It states the following:
We are reviewing your case (after all these years despite the VA laws stating my disability cannot be touched after 10 years) and similar SSA law.
The letter goes on to state that should I return to work get better etc. to notify them immediately! I’m terminally ill so don’t see any of that dumbshit ignorance happening!
Now here’s the dumbshit rocket scientist logic closure-
We are NOT reviewing your case at this time and no need for further documentation????
WTF I ask is the purpose of this ignorance and how does it save tax payers to send such stoopid crap out to the people they’re supposed to be serving at our expense???
Let them take veterans disability benefits away and see if a real shooting war doesn’t start out of the absolute Criminal Ignorance that is DODGE Elonia MAGA and Dump!
So glad people are turning on them rapidly and in mass! Of course they’re all traitors to the NOTsee cause right MAGA sycophants?
Great job MAGA! M’erica middle finger salutes every last one of you!
Mr. Howard doesn’t get out much. I don’t know if anyone has time to systematically dismantle that rant.
But you might start out the comments that 1.47 billion is a bigger number that 1.46, billion. So either the billions are in the wrong order or the countries are. But either way knocking down American ingenuity and using the old line that we do not want to work, well just shows how politicians set up the political system to continue to get elected on borrowed money.
Regarding China and India – who by the way have ZERO commitment to the Paris Climate Accord joke, and are far from “emerging”, China has a people problem and a food source problem. It has high desert, and mountains everywhere. They can’t grown enough food, so they are on a world domination plan, India on the other hand, is quite fertile and can FEED it’s own populations.
And they both pollute like crazy – but their nuclear programs will fix that over time.
If there is time, we will dismantle the Howard presentation, and for the country”s sake and our future do your best not to buy off on the program that Mr. Howard has presented.
But after the 4 years of the puppet in the White House, it is not going to be quick to turn our nightmare around.
But the first 100 days have given us a very good start.
Claim 1: “1.47 billion is bigger than 1.46 billion, so either the countries or numbers are wrong.”
Fact: As of early 2025, India has surpassed China in population:
• India: ~1.428 billion
• China: ~1.425 billion (Source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2023 & 2024 updates)
India officially became the world’s most populous country in 2023. The comment may reflect older data or a simple misreading.
Claim 2: “Knocking down American ingenuity and saying we don’t want to work is political pandering.”
Fact: No one is denying American ingenuity. The concern raised is about systemic economic shifts:
• The U.S. has offshored much of its manufacturing since the 1980s for cheaper labor and higher corporate margins, not because Americans lack ingenuity or work ethic.
• As of 2023, U.S. labor force participation was still below pre-pandemic levels (around 62.5%), but Americans work more hours per year than workers in most European nations (OECD data).
Blaming individuals ignores structural decisions by corporations and policymakers that shaped the economy around consumption, debt, and outsourcing.
Claim 3: “China and India have zero commitment to the Paris Climate Accord.”
Fact: This is incorrect:
• India and China are both signatories to the Paris Agreement and have submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs):
◦ China: Committed to peak CO₂ emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
◦ India: Committed to 50% renewable energy by 2030 and net-zero by 2070. (Source: UNFCCC and ClimateActionTracker.org)
Both nations are polluting heavily because they are industrializing, just as the U.S. and Europe did in the past. Per capita, they still emit far less CO₂ than the U.S.
Claim 4: “China can’t grow enough food and has a world domination plan.”
Fact:
• Yes, China imports food, especially soybeans and grains, but it is still the largest agricultural producer in the world by volume.
• Rather than “domination,” China is investing globally to secure supply chains through its Belt and Road Initiative—much like the U.S. did in the 20th century via military alliances and trade agreements.
Calling it a “domination plan” is rhetoric, not analysis.
Claim 5: “India is fertile and can feed its own population.”
Fact: India does have more arable land per capita than China and is self-sufficient in many food categories. However, it faces:
• Water scarcity
• Farmer suicides linked to debt and climate instability
• Heavy reliance on monsoons
Feeding over 1.4 billion people remains a fragile achievement.
Claim 6: “They both pollute like crazy, but their nuclear programs will fix that.”
Fact:
• Both countries do pollute heavily, but are also leaders in solar and wind energy investment:
◦ China leads the world in solar panel production and electric vehicles.
◦ India has the third-largest renewable energy capacity.
• Nuclear is a growing part of their energy mix, but renewables are moving faster.
Claim 7: “The first 100 days have given us a very good start.”
Opinion, not fact. This is a political assertion. Any claim of “success” should be measured against:
• GDP growth
• Job creation
• Inflation
• International credibility
• Environmental and social progress
To date, no significant legislative breakthroughs or bipartisan unifying efforts have been evident under the current administration.
Mr Bear
Facts and Data are irrelevant to the cult known as MAGA. The only thing the sycophants at 🙈 🙊 🙉 MAGA inc. believe is the propaganda they are told. This is by design after decades of Russian and China propaganda swamping their noggins.
Just saw Elonia was voted out as CEO of Tesla by his own company. Perhaps he Rascist Dara Khosrowshahi and Racist Pappa John can swap stories on the hate filled rise and fall while riding in a Tesla Uber eating Pappa John’s (which is now owned by a much better man than any of these racist clowns will ever be)!
Humpty dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty dumpty had a great fall
and all the kings horses, and all the kings men
couldn’t put humpty together again
Oh poor little dumpty
for he was so grumpy
So he put himself together half way
and cursed the kingdom for all his day
But when night fell quick
and dumpty felt sick
A fairy showed him an evil way.
“Show the king this mirror..” She said
“And soon he will die, of an exploded head.”
Dumpty grinned with a wide psychotic look
knowing he could rid the world of this idiotic nook.
So the next day, with dumpty’s final breath
he presented the king with a treasured bequeath.
Feeling he should accept dumpty’s final wish
he accepted the present with a giddy lisp.
Dumpty was buried among the kingdoms royalty
for he was looked upon for his great loyalty.
And that night, the king decided to flourish
and bring out the mirror he decided to cherish.
With one look into the beautiful mirror
the kings face turned from giddy to terror.
His face nothing but bone
the king made a loud moan
His terror and scare quick to dampen his judgment
the king lept from his balcony, meeting certain pavement.
For this time, dumpty chanted among the ghouls
singing of how his king, was nothing but a fool.
You’re going to hear this a lot MAGA so craft a hateful response!
US economy shrinks 0.3% in first quarter as Trump trade wars disrupt business
The U.S. economy shrank 0.3% from January through March, the first drop in three years. It was slowed by a surge in imports as companies in the United States tried to bring in foreign goods before President Donald Trump imposed massive tariffs. Yep we’re off to a good start , stock market tanking Trump‘s doing exactly what I hoped you were doing causing havoc for the next year and a half so we can take over the Senate in the house which is pretty much a shared down. Just remember, you can’t have big business without big government. I find them comment about floating. Funny America is probably the biggest polluter in the world until the Democrats started to put a stop to it. Just look at Louisiana the whole state polluted shit hole.
Explainer: Republicans weigh cuts to Medicaid that could dramatically affect millions
https://apple.news/A9VO67_hOQ6uN9pr_uIFb_Q
Of course an administration of elitist billionaire criminals is considering forcing disabled people to work for healthcare. They also have DHHS Director worm brain who thinks people who are afflicted with Autism have no value in society! Able bodied in their simple minds is anyone receiving Medicare. What do you think Criminal Felon Voters? Ah you don’t care you have your cushy cash pile safely stashed away right? No sweat off your entitlements huh?
https://people.com/rfk-jr-claims-people-with-autism-will-never-work-find-love-or-pay-taxes-11717083
Talk about Nazi ideology! This is Eugenics 101!
Hitler’s debt to America
This article is more than 21 years old
The Nazis’ extermination programme was carried out in the name of eugenics – but they were by no means the only advocates of racial purification. In this extract from his extraordinary new book, Edwin Black describes how Adolf Hitler’s race hatred was underpinned by the work of American eugenicists
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/feb/06/race.usa
Are you MAGA sycophants paying attention? Of course not it’s all what you wished for and have begun to receive thanks to the fascist Administration known as MAGA!