Quote from zdreg:
why shouldn't it be different this time.? the rule that it is never different this time in not written in a stone for countries.
If there's any rule associated with this it's that the argument unravels because it was based on well-chosen examples rather than an exhaustive study.
In the US the educational system is a disgrace.
A sweeping, and incorrect, generalization. Some areas of the country surely have broken public education systems, but not all of them do. Private education is working pretty well as evidenced by the enrollment numbers of foreigners in our universities.
in the US. the legacy costs are driving companies into bankruptcy.
Again, not all companies are on the brink. Those that are managed poorly will die eventually.
the gov't sector is too large. too many employees
But, it's not permanent. It will eventually have to get pared down because it will eventually not be sustainable.
the country's private sector is getting slowly or fast getting nationalized.
Again, a generalization. Not all sectors have problems.
the country is moving away from capitalism to a too large to fail doctrine.
This country is like a pendulum. This swing will eventually lose momentum and we'll start heading back to the center when times are good again. And, because we're too stupid to learn it'll swing too far in some other direction.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
why shouldn't the US have like Japan the lost years or even possibly decades?
Quite possible, but completely irrelevant to the argument that we need to learn Chinese.