Nation Building at Home

Thomas Friedman has another editorial along his nation building in America theme with Anxious in America. Here are a couple of excerpts, "Up to now, the economic crisis we’ve been in has been largely a credit crisis in the capital markets, while consumer spending has kept reasonably steady, as have manufacturing and exports. But with banks still reluctant to lend even to healthy businesses, fuel and food prices soaring and home prices declining, this is starting to affect consumers, shrinking their wallets and crimping spending. Unemployment is already creeping up and manufacturing creeping down." He continues, "I continue to be appalled at the gap between what is clearly going to be the next great global industry — renewable energy and clean power — and the inability of Congress and the administration to put in place the bold policies we need to ensure that America leads that industry." I agree. It ties back to a previous essay on the Power of Green as the new red, white, and blue. By the way, you can listen to the audio of him addressing the NC Emerging Issues Forum back in February 2008 here.