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February 7, 2012

Readers' Forum: Feb. 7, 2012

The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Kodak moment for America?

Is the United States having a Kodak moment?

Not the rhetorical question you might think. Kodak, once the only game in town in pictures, filed for bankruptcy recently. It basically forgot what business it was in. For too long, it thought it was in the film business. The ironic thing is it invented the digital camera, in 1975, and then immediately dumped it. Why innovate? Film was so profitable, the money so easy and the bonuses so good. The result was a company with a great past but no future. It took more than 30 years for the rot to come through, but judgment day came. In contrast, its one competitor, Fuji, is thriving. It understood it was in the “imaging” business.

Last year, the Congress, egged on by the Israel lobby, passed a law mandating sanctions against any country that does business with the Iranian central bank. In effect, the administration is saying a country can do business with Iran or America, but not both. The purpose is “regime change” in Tehran.

Has anyone in Washington considered, what happens if the energy hungry countries of the world choose Iran? One obvious result would be more erosion of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. China has announced it will not go along. India, Russia, Pakistan and Venezuela, as well as others, will also not go along. While the European Union is for now going along, the question is, for how long? Other prospects of this scenario are (a) a much higher price for oil or (b) a war, instigated by Washington (I’m old enough to remember the Tonkin Gulf lie) or (c) both. All in an election year. Timing is everything.

What got Kodak in trouble was its managers refused to look at the changed world around them. It’s not morning in America, a la 1985, for America either. The world has changed. But Washington seems to think it can still order the world around as it has done since 1945. Only the magic ain’t workin’ anymore.

China has let America know it considers the China Sea, the South China Sea, and the Straight of Taiwan Chinese territorial waters and that the U.S. Navy should behave accordingly. Pakistan has closed the one overland supply access America has to Afghanistan and all we can do is grouse. Neither of these would have been thinkable 10 years ago. What happens if America throws a war and nobody shows up? We could end up being the isolated country.

This superpower business isn’t what it used to be. But downsizing seems less an option than Medicare reform. Will it take economic collapse and military defeat for reality to be faced and regime change to occur in Washington?

— Matthew Alig

Terre Haute



Let’s not bring back serfdom

Today people view government intervention into the economy as a solution to economic problems as necessary and popular. The extent of government intervention is always flexible. The expression from most people is “the government should do something about it,” whatever “it” or the problem is.

Where did this belief originate? Is this belief the basis of our government as it was founded in the 18th century? Or is it a carryover belief from earlier nonconstitutional nonfreedom times?

Actually this way of thinking about our government and government powers is the thinking from past ages. It is the way of thinking preceding modern freedom, a modern constitutional government or modern republicanism. It is a way of thinking before people had rights, liberties and responsibilities. And it was a way of thinking when people accepted the government as the institution of supernatural powers and everyone else were members of the serfdom class. Are Americans returning to a serfdom class?

It is past time for asking government to do everything for us and be everything to us. Serfdom was put to rest. We as Americans do not want it resurrected.

Our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights protect us from serfdom. It is time we hold our government representatives to the Constitution.

— Charles Bean

Terre Haute



IU-Purdue game a nice diversion

I was with friends in the stands of sold-out Mackey Arena on the Purdue campus to witness a tradition-rich basketball game between the Hoosiers and the Boilermakers.

It was an intense battle: A chapter in the folklore of the State of Indiana at its very best.

Our team lost: We missed too many shots in trying to launch a comeback. Our fate was sealed and the Hoosiers emerged as the victors.

Given the ideological tension in our society; with the executive branch of our government being in process to institute a philosophy which is a new concept to a large segment of the populace. I find, therefore, that attending basketball games is a welcome diversion from the political headlines.

From our vantage point in the arena, the scene which came into view provided the appearance of a great big painting by the legendary American artist Norman Rockwell.

— Michael Kor

Terre Haute

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