# What is to protect us from real bad stuff, like...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-to-protect-us-from-real-bad-stuff-like/425869>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 10, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-to-protect-us-from-real-bad-stuff-like/425869 "2007-11-10T03:52:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![bonitahi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7993a0/32.png) [@bonitahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonitahi)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-to-protect-us-from-real-bad-stuff-like/425869/41 "2009-01-12T18:23:19Z")

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> [@Leaper](#):
>
> You think this, right now, is a depression? Really?

Really? No.

You are right to question me. I was wrong in writing that.  
We are not in a depression right now (nor is the world).

Thanks for catching that error and correcting me.

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**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-to-protect-us-from-real-bad-stuff-like/425869/42 "2009-01-13T05:58:15Z")

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> [@LonesomePolecat](#):
>
> On the plus side, is it possible that this greatly lessens the probability of open military conflict? If you’re even remotely sane, do you want to go to war with your most important trading partner, with the folks who owe you tons and tons of money, with the people who supply you with critically needed imports? Give those sort of economic ties, would you really want to wreck the other guy’s economy either covertly or through open warfare? Just trying to be an optimist here.

Sorry , thats what folks were thinking pre WW1. Admitedly , the conflict had nothing to do with the economic condition at the time , yet it still came to blows.

Declan

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**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-to-protect-us-from-real-bad-stuff-like/425869/43 "2009-01-13T06:09:48Z")

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> [@Latro](#):
>
> For decades America has been enforcing ‘Free Trade’, which just meant that countries had to accept cheap American goods flooding into their countries, often to the detriment of their own industries.
> 
> Now, the system America has set up has turned around and is biting it in the arse.
> 
> The turning around began with cheap Japanese camera’s and cars and it is still going on.
> 
> **Hey you set the rules, and now by your own rules, you loose.**

You really believe this (the bolded part) You may or may not understand the reference, but the house never loses.

If the USA is in truly a dis-advantages position re the trade imbalance, it will change the rules.

Declan

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