Norris-Gate Ep. 3: Invasion USA

INVASION USA

Read the column here.

The USA is being infiltrated by illegals, sold to foreign powers, and abandoned by its government.

The above, quite honestly, sounds like part of a pitch for a movie, perhaps titled Invasion USA. It'd be the type of movie that would tag USA to its title: brash, loud, cheaply made, full of explosions, and awful. In fact, when I see the United States of America's name shortened to "USA," no periods and no-frills, I often think of the cheap plastic toys you can buy at dollar stores that aren't from China. Usually it's something banal, like a fishing boat.

But here we are, in 2009, and the USA (how cumbersome, typing "the" before "USA." Why not "TUSA?") is being invaded by illegals, sold to other countries, and is being abandoned by its government. This is not news to most people. Illegal immigration has been a topic for many a cruel, heartless bastard, and, if not that, most campaign ads will pick on somebody for voting against something that'd see English made the official language of the country. We owe a lot of money to a lot of different countries due to the fiscal irresponsibility of the fiscally conservative. And yes, the government is leaving the building. It's called "transition."

You Maniacs! You sold it! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!

The problem, of course, is that Americans don't have enough pride in this great country to buy American goods. A nice American car, perhaps some fine, American lead poisoning implement toy for the kids. Here's the really interesting part of Chuck's manifesto this week:

I'm proposing a buyers' revolution in which we all economically win that medal of valor. If the government isn't going to help us by securing our borders, reducing outsourcing, or ceasing debt caused by bogus bailouts and out-of-control spending, then we the people have got to take back the financial future of our country. The buck stops here — in America.

Chuck thinks that if even half of America started buying American, the economy would turn around in no time flat. A nice, Utopian, ignorant view of how things work, certainly, but what does it sound like he's proposing? A boycott. A mere two months ago, Norris lambasted the gay community for merely proposing that they boycott businesses who contributed money to see Proposition 8 passed in California:

The tolerance-preaching activists also have taken their anger to the blogosphere, where posts have planted ideas ranging from burning churches to storming the citadels of government until our society is forced to overturn Prop. 8. You even can find donor blacklists online. The lists include everyone who financially backed Prop. 8 — even those who gave as little as $46 — with the obvious objective that these individuals will be bantered and boycotted for doing so.

What's wrong with this picture? Lots.

Now that it's a matter of the life and death of America? Boycotting is a patriotic duty, because the government isn't going to do anything to help. Well, fine. Let's see what goes out the window. Movies aren't made in America. They're often shot in Canada. Many CDs aren't pressed in America, so most DVDs, video games, and music has to go. Some cars may be assembled in America, but their parts come from all over the world. Retail giants like Wal-Mart are right out (huzzah!). Forget electronics, fresh fruit, and clothes that don't come from American Apparel.

Boycotting for rights is wrong, but boycotting because so much stuff we consume comes from everywhere else is patriotic? If half of America took Chuck's advise, it wouldn't just further ruin the American economy - it'd ruin the global one, too. This isn't 1940. We can't afford to be sequestered away in our neat, suburban homes, listening to fireside chats, eating family meals, and driving purely American cars. The world has been globalized for years, probably a decade and a half, and going back to isolationism, besides not even being theoretical, would just be stupid.

The answer isn't isolation. It's global competition. Competition is what drove American innovation, which is what drove the American economy. Brain drain is a much more pressing concern than if I'm driving a Camry. Our future relies on our ability to create new jobs for a new world. Chuck seems skeptical of this, urging his readers to "spend green" instead of going green and urging against waiting for a "political-messianic deliverance through the presidency." Thus far, Obama is one of the few politicians who has publicly expressed his urge to create new jobs in new fields. I'd rather hope for deliverance than shy away from a challenge.