China

I do not see the defense of the nation as being one of President Obama's primary concerns. While it's difficult to judge which - military objectives or man's innate curiosity - is the driving force behind space exploration, it is certain that it all has resulted (and will continue to result) in military advantage to those chiefly involved as well as in the practical availability of new gadgets for the public to enjoy.

My own instinct tells me that human curiosity will continue to be the primary impetus for exploration of any kind. A secondary motive stems from man's eternal struggle to break free of the chains of bubble earth. This speaks to the reason why many mainlanders, after having reached the Hawaiian island paradise, find themselves feeling unaccountably vexed. This is because they instinctively know that driving only for a short time in any direction will land them on some shore that blocks any further progress. This phenomenon, by the way, applies even to people who might never even have thought of leaving the confines of their own towns while living stateside.

As such, we continue to scan the sky for signs of intelligent life, or for planets that could in theory support any life at all. Please allow me to mention a planet that has been slowly and steadily ascending while we quite unnecessarily run ourselves ragged trying to slay the phantoms of our own making: China.

According to B. Raman’s missive today, China has been working hard to expand its consumer base. It’s been doing so with a combination of tax cuts and incentives - ironically, just the opposite of what the Obama (yes we can) administration has been doing. China has also reaffirmed its willingness to continue buying U.S. Treasuries, thereby keeping the Americans on a short leash. China is hardly suicidal as Iran (or even America) appears to be. It is actively planning for the future, securing energy and other resources wherever it can. They’re strengthening their military capabilities. They’re quick to deal with international issues that affect them directly while pursuing a hands-off strategy towards those that specifically serve to weaken the West. Again, every and all China’s policies are directly antithetical to those currently being pursued by the West.

On it’s present course China cannot help but succeed while America fails. This will not happen tomorrow or next week. It is the long term strategy of a patient people. But it is bound to happen unless a black swan intercedes deus ex machina to reset the table.