Bravo Obama!
Obama is almost indistinguishable from Bush, McCain, Romney, et al... with one exception. Obama is quietly pulling America back from superpower status, while the others would have tried to expand our superpowerness.

Bravo!

Several news items indicate that his quiet efforts are bearing fruit.

(1) Japan has built a new aircraft carrier. For some reason they're pretending it's a Peace And Love Ship, with a large flat area on top intended to carry a Zen Garden or whatever. Why bother? Everyone recognizes an aircraft carrier. Aside from the silly subterfuge, it's wonderful that Japan is spending its own money on defense instead of relying on us. This could benefit Americans in the end, because Japan has been taking advantage of its 'free ride' on defense.

(2) India is also building a new aircraft carrier, though they're more candid about its purpose. Otherwise same comment as Japan: bearing more of the defense load means less advantage for India, better opportunity for American workers.

(3) A rather pointless speech by Bill Clinton, trying to push Obama toward resuming major activity in Africa. China has become an old-fashioned colonial power, taking mineral and agricultural resources from Africa and installing "infrastructure projects" that will accomplish nothing except bribing corrupt leaders. China is also taking rare animals, which Clinton finds OFFENSIVE AND HORRIBLE. Tough shit. Half a billion Chinese men think their dicks are too short, and they need lots of ivory and shark fins and rhino horn and tiger cocks. Clinton obviously can't understand this problem.

Clinton wants us to get back into the colonial game. Why, for fuck's sake? WE DON'T NEED IT. We have excellent agriculture, and we would have enough minerals if the EPA Terrorist Army would stop attacking miners and drillers. We have Viagra. We don't need anything Africa has to offer, and we can't afford to bribe corrupt dictators to get stuff we don't need.

Superpower status is suicidally expensive in lives and money, and brings precisely zero benefit. We've already learned the lesson. Let China have its turn.
  ¶ 3:42 AM