Author: Christ Ranger

The Titanic sank on this day, Abraham Lincoln died on this date, and it’s our deadline for paying the government what we owe.  The “good news” is, compared to what’s coming down the pike, we’re getting off lightly today.  See here and here.  Spending, particularly entitlements, is spinning out of control.

I’ve been following Mark Steyn’s demographics is destiny observations and arguments the past several years (as well as his critique of modern, western culture).  Mr. Steyn argues persuasively that the demographic patterns for most western liberal democracies show a cultural death spiral for native-born citizens.  In contrast, in most these same countries and indeed worldwide, he presents data showing strong birth rates among Islamic populations, who in Europe make up a very large percentage of the immigrant populations.  Mr. Steyn argues that for most of these countries, the “native” western culture appears demographically doomed, claiming that no civilization in history has returned from similar low rates of reproduction.  He also posits that these nations will be primarily Islamic within a few generations, i.e. westerners should start familiarizing themselves with Sharia law.

I’ve read some critics of his works, but most that I’ve found take issue with his premise that we should be concerned about this trend.  The premise of these critics being that it’s either alarmist to assume Islamic citizens will not assimilate or that it’s arrogant to judge western culture as superior.  A few have argued that overall, the total population of muslims in these countries is relatively small.  I haven’t found these counter-arguments persuasive.  In these countries, significant muslim populations are not assimilating and the diversity culture encourages such subgroups to maintain their original identities.  Further, the fundamentalist Islamic worldview is simply not compatible with western liberal notions of human and political rights, as demonstrated by the messages of the Denmark and Paris rioters, those advocating for Sharia in the UK, and others.  Most of the Islamic nations hue fairly closely to Islamic law in how they organize themselves and recognize rights.

I’m not sure, however, that past is prologue.  Computer memory continues to spiral downward in size and cost while processing speed and power continues to increase exponentially.  Moore’s Law and the Law of Accelerating Returns, see here, indicate that our rate of progress and innovation is only going to quicken.  Some of the consequences are potentially quite profound, even changing what it means to be human or changing the nature of thought and communication.  Regardless, this dizzying rate of technological innovation is heavily centered on non-Islamic countries and particularly on liberal democracies.  Indeed, outside of China, which is rapidly liberalizing at least its economy, most innovation comes from the world’s “free” people. 

Technological innovation, to include artificial intelligence, robotics, nanobots, etc., is a wildcard in the mix regarding the relationship between demographics and cultural, economic, and political strength.    According to some, see e.g. Ray Kurzweil, “computers” will surpass humans in their ability to parallel process information sometime within the next decade or so and people will use technology to augment and improve their own organic “processing power.”  This should all have profound implications for production, military strength, and cultural innovation.  

Regarding warfare, right now we’re sending remote-controlled drones into tribal areas.  In fifteen years, we could be sending devices that are much more up-close and personal and autonomous.  What will happen when our machines are our designers for free around the clock?  In short, I’m not convinced that the past is in any way prologue regarding demographics and how society will function. Absent Christ’s imminent return, the 21st Century will be unlike anything humanity has ever seen.  Given the promises of ongoing medical innovation, many of us may be around to witness most of the 21st Century.

While the Obama administration has been putting most of its public efforts behind promoting the federal overhaul/ownership of domestic healthcare, the affairs of the world and our place in it press on.  There appears a disturbing pattern of the current administration attempting to placate our enemies and mistreating key allies.

Mary O’Grady has an important article in the WSJ on US foreign policy toward one of our regional allies:  The U.S. vs. Honduran Democracy .  With the crumbling and strains suffered by market democracies over the past decade in this region, we should be doing everything we can to encourage Honduras to stay the course.  Trying to placate Chavez instead is a bad move.

The Obama administration has treated Britain, our closest European ally, with disrespect, see here and here  and here. 

While trying to carry through on the campaign promise to open and strengthen diplomatic ties with Iran, the Administration has taken a hard-line with Israel, our closest and perhaps only ally in the mideast. See here and here. Gary Bauer recently commented,

“What is particularly telling is that this is a president who has bowed to a Saudi king, who has repeatedly held his hand out to Iran only to have his face slapped in response and who has regularly suffered the slings and arrows of insults from Russia, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, to name a few. For whom does he reserve his anger, toughness and vehemence? For Israel, the only reliable ally we have in the Middle East.”

The Obama administration stunned Poland, our closest East European ally, as the administration attempted to court favor with the Russians, an attempt that utterly failed.  See here . 

John Bolton’s comments on this same topic here.

While critics of the administration focus efforts on rolling back the President’s aggressive, statist domestic policies, they should keep a close eye as well on how well we’re promoting and supporting our ideological and political allies worldwide.