The Morning Rant: Minimalist Edition

Make no mistake...we have one global enemy, and it ain't Russia, which is a fading country that once was a superpower, and has retained some of its former bite in the form of nuclear weapons. But its current experience in Ukraine suggests that it is at best a regional player, without the military prowess and industrial might necessary to play on the world stage.

Is Russia a problem? Of course! Does Russia represent an existential threat to America and its allies? No.

But you know who does pose an existential threat to America?

China syndrome: Washington elites keep undercutting messaging about Beijing's malign influence

In late January, FBI Director Chris Wray gave an ominous speech at the Ronald Reagan library warning China was America's most pressing security threat, comparing Beijing's efforts to steal American secrets of innovation and intellectual property with the Soviet Cold War efforts to gain military dominance in the world.

"The sheer volume of criminal and threatening actions we see from the Chinese government is immense," Wray declared.

But two weeks later, the Biden Justice Department ended an FBI program that cracked down on Chinese espionage carried out through academics, professors and students.

The FBI's former intelligence chief sharply criticized ending the program.

"China represents the gravest national security threat to this country right now, hands down," retired Assistant Director for Intelligence Kevin Brock told Just the News. "It's probably not even close. ... They just reach out and they steal our R&D, and they're shameless in doing so."

One could be easily confused by exactly who is the threat, because the actions of the current (pseudo) administration seem designed to aid our enemies and weaken our country in all ways. It is blatantly obvious that the paymasters in Peking have spent their money carefully, cleverly, and well. They own vast swathes of our federal government, media, and even a fair chunk of the Republican party...at least the GOPe part of it.

What can we do about it? Sure, we can vote against every China apologist in government, and that is a necessary but long slog. We can also do our part as consumers, and limit our consumption of Chinese products. And yes, that is hugely difficult, and probably impossible to do completely. But even a few dollars denied the Chinese communists will hurt them, and multiplied by tens of millions of Americans will make a difference.

But we can also restrict our use of the corporations who are on the forefront of Chinese toadyism. Disney and the NBA come to mind immediately, but there are others, like Nike, that loves to use Chinese slave labor to make their overpriced and crappy athletic wear.

It is easy to fall into the trap that we -- the individual -- are powerless to effect change. But that is simply not the case. Every time you pass by a Chinese communist product on the shelf and buy the American version you are weakening the evil and strengthening the cause of freedom, however far from its roots we may be. And there is ample evidence that the Chinese communist economy is a house of cards, teetering on the abyss and propped up by compliant Western governments that cannot resist its graft and corruption.

So a vote here and a vote there, and a few Chinese products rejected, multiplied by tens of millions of patriotic Americans may be just the push needed!

posted by CBD at 11:00 AM

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